ฺฺิBackground

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In Northern Thailand, many children who suffer from Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate have no access to adequate treatment. Many patients have not been cured or the treatment received was inadequate or incomplete.

 

More than fifty percent of patient seeking subsidized treatment are from the tribal communities, many of whom are not eligible for Thai citizenship and cannot receive healthcare benefits. These already disadvantaged and poor communities cannot bear the financial burden that comes with medical treatments.

 

Cleft lip/palate is a birth disorder that affects millions of people all around the world. Affected people usually have difficulty eating, speaking and hearing. Many people cannot afford necessary medical treatments such as plastic surgery or speech therapy.

 

Cleft lip/palate can make a child feel isolated and alone. But now, there are steps to take to help these children lead full and happy lives.

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In 1999, the Northern Women’s Development Foundation (NWDF) initiated a Cleft Lip and Palate Repair and Rehabilitation Project Give a Brighter Smile for Cleft Children. This project provides wider medical treatment for children suffering from cleft lip and cleft palate in Northern Thailand with extension to the needy children from the neighbouring countries, Myanmar and Lao PDR.

 

The Northern Women’s Development (NWDF) was established in 1989, and has committed to providing support services for disadvantaged women in Northern Thai communities. The NWDF seeks to provide vocational training and making support for small-business ventures, as well as address health and welfare needs in the community and extending to the neighbouring countries, Myanmar and Lao PDR.