THE Cleft Center of the Kapampangan Development Foundation Inc. (KDFI), Jesus Datu Medical Center (JADMC) and Operation Smile (OS) re-opened recently with seven successful surgeries following the new normal protocols through the support of one local and another international Rotary club.
KDFI President Benigno Ricafort thanked KDF's longtime partner, the Rotary Club of Mabalacat D3790, through its president Bing Gonzales, and the Rotary Club of Taichung Song Zhy D3462 Taiwan for providing the needed personal prospective equipment and funds to augment the additional supplies and expenses related to making the surgeries safe by following the new normal protocols for the cleft surgeries.
KDFI mentioned a few new normal protocols, which KDFI had to add like additional wash basins, ventilators, ultraviolet lights, rooms with their own toilets and bath for isolation rooms, swab tests, additional meals for the patients and their families while in quarantine, etc.
The KDFI president said that without the support of service partners like Rotary Clubs, it would be difficult to implement the cleft surgeries during the coronavirus pandemic because of the tremendous additional expenses needed to implement the new normal protocols to make the surgeries safe.
The Cleft Center head Dr. Laurence Loh of Operation Smile said safety protocols were followed strictly.
"The surgeries cannot wait and be delayed because every day counts. A single day of delay affects the full restoration of the speech of the child. The delay permanently affects their lives. The risks that we are taking are greatly reduced with the implementation of the new normal protocols," KDF Trustee Sylvia Ordonez said.