The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to integrate cleft care into the country's primary healthcare system. This move aims to address the significant number of children born with cleft conditions every year who face barriers to essential surgery, speech therapy, orthodontic care, nutrition support, and psychosocial assistance. According to the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Adekunle Salako, the government is committed to making comprehensive cleft care a routine component of the national health system.
Cleft lip and palate are among the most common congenital conditions requiring specialized surgical and multidisciplinary care. Experts estimate that thousands of Nigerian children are born with cleft conditions annually, although the true figure may be higher due to underreporting and limited access to medical care. The Nigerian Association for Cleft Lip and Palate (NACLP) has urged the Federal Government to establish at least one community dental clinic in each of the country's 774 local government areas to expand access to oral healthcare.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Adekunle Salako, made the commitment at the opening of the 6th Biennial Congress of the Pan-African Association for Cleft Lip and Palate (PAACLIP) in Abuja. He emphasized the need to shift from treating cleft surgery as an act of charity to making comprehensive care a routine component of the national health system. Salako noted that the scale of the challenge should be measured not only by the number of surgeries performed but also by the children and families whose lives are affected when treatment is delayed or unavailable.
Programmes supported by SMILE Train in Nigeria have contributed significantly to cleft care, with 45,786 cleft surgeries, 1,853 speech therapy interventions, 2,433 orthodontic treatments, and 2,033 nutrition interventions. These interventions date back to 2002, when the first free cleft surgery under the programme was performed at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria. The minister acknowledged the contribution of medical professionals and partners to the expansion of cleft services, describing their work as an example of medical expertise combined with compassion.
The Federal Ministry of Health is prepared to work with professional associations, health insurance institutions, and development partners to establish a defined package of comprehensive cleft care for vulnerable children, particularly those under five years. This package will cover surgery and the wider continuum of care, including speech therapy, orthodontics, nutrition, and follow-up services. The minister also disclosed plans to strengthen cleft care at the primary healthcare level through improved referral systems and team-based training for healthcare workers.
Another major proposal is the integration of a national cleft registry into Nigeria's health information system. This registry will enable the government to routinely track cleft cases across health facilities and use reliable data to guide annual planning, budgeting, and resource allocation. The minister called for stronger coordination among development partners, professional bodies, and the private sector, arguing that cleft programmes should operate within a common national work plan.
The integration of cleft care into Nigeria's primary healthcare system is part of broader Federal Government reforms in surgical and health financing. The government aims to ensure that vulnerable Nigerians are not excluded from essential healthcare due to their inability to pay. The Vulnerable Group Fund established under Nigeria's health insurance framework is a potential mechanism for extending financial protection to children with cleft conditions and other vulnerable groups.
Key points
- The Nigerian government plans to integrate cleft care into its primary healthcare system.
- Thousands of Nigerian children are born with cleft conditions every year.
- The government aims to establish a defined package of comprehensive cleft care for vulnerable children.
