Since the beginning of this month, the Da Nang Maternity and Paediatrics Hospital has provided screening tests for 34 children with cleft lip or palate.  The children are from the city, and the provinces of Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Phu Yen, Quang Tri, Ha Tinh and Dak Lak.

Twenty-five of the 34 children have already been selected to undergo free surgery at the hospital on 25 and 26 August.  The youngest patient is 3 months old, and the oldest is 8 years old.

The surgeries will be performed by doctors at the Maternity and Paediatrics Hospital.  They will be assisted by staff from the Children's Hospital No 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, with direct instructions from the Head of the Odonto-Maxillo-Facial Department at that hospital, Dr Nguyen Van Dau.

The programme is funded by Smile Train, a US non-governmental organisation, and it covers the full cost of medical examinations, surgery, medicines and hospital beds for the child patients.