In Ethiopia, we partner with Yekatit 12 Hospital, located in Addis Ababa. It is the only hospital that provides multidisciplinary treatment for cleft lip and palate and also hosts the country’s only dedicated Speech Therapy unit.
The team faced electrical cuts and lack of anaesthetists, yet they were able to provide primary, secondary surgeries, alveolar bone grafts and rhinoplasties to patients.
Social work and counselling have played a larger role in the team’s activities in 2013. A parent group session took place last year, which allowed parents to learn more about speech, language and communication stimulation.
Development of Ethiopia’s first degree program for Speech and Language Therapy
There is a severe shortage of speech therapists in Ethiopia. In order to bridge this gap, curriculum development for the newly created Speech Therapy program at Addis Ababa University is underway.
Additional highlights:
- In total, the team treated 668 patients and provided 1301 interventions.
- At the ENT department, 37 cleft lip and palate patients were evaluated and grommet tubes were inserted for six patients.
- They also conducted a tympanoplasty for one patient.
- Orthodontics assessment, treatment, follow up, oral hygiene and dental care was provided to 74 patients.
- Eight residents are now being trained at the plastic and reconstructive surgery unit at the Addis Ababa University College of health Sciences surgical department.
- A new surgical unit is under construction
Read more about our work in Ethiopia.