Help for cleft children in Peru

Deutsche Cleft Kinderhilfe in Peru

We have been active in Peru since 2006. Our aid effort is based out of two permanent project locations: one in the capital Lima and another in the Andean city of Cusco. In addition, surgical missions to the surrounding areas ensure that the children there can also receive qualified cleft treatment with surgery and follow-up therapies.

The Coronavirus pandemic severely impacted our work in recent years and more or less limited us to surgeries in Lima, one of our two permanent locations. A considerable surgical backlog has developed throughout Peru as a result. Some 1,000 children with cleft lip and palate are born in Peru each year. Many children are still waiting for surgery, especially in the remote Andean regions, where little medical care is available. In 2022, hospitals in the surrounding provinces finally allocated capacity for cleft surgery again. Currently, the situation in the country is additionally made difficult by the political situation, which unfortunately also affects our work.

Due to the size of the country and the poor transport infrastructure in the rural regions, it is difficult to reach those affected. Our local partners maintain a large network through which their regular aid missions are communicated to potential patients. Project staff are in direct contact with cleft families to arrange appointments for follow-up treatment after a surgical procedure.

Key areas of our work in Peru

Surgery

Our long-standing partner surgeon Dr. Bardales has always been committed to ensuring that not only cleft children living in his hometown Lima have access to qualified treatment. To this end, he regularly organizes surgical missions to Puno, Cajamarca, Huánuco, Arequipa or other regions where no help would otherwise reach.

Education

Due to the size of the country and the poor transport infrastructure in the rural areas, it is difficult to reach everyone affected. Our local partners use their network to communicate the relief efforts that take place on a regular basis.

Comprehensive cleft therapy

In Lima, we offer our young patients comprehensive support. At Casa Qorito, speech and functional therapy, dentistry and orthodontics are all offered under one roof. A psychotherapist strengthens the children's self-confidence and gives the families support. Casa Qorito offers parents a space for exchange experiences and knowledge among themselves.