Mangalore Dec 2: Kimaaya Institute of Craniofacial surgery, operating at Yenepoya Hospital in Mangalore under the aegis of Maaya Foundation, was officially inaugurated by President of DCKH, Germany, Dr Heinz Luebbe on Friday.

Speaking to media persons after the inauguration, President of Maaya Foundation Prof Dr Krishna Shama Rao said that Maaya Foundation is a charitable organisation dedicated to treat the poor and needy suffering from congenital and acquired facial and cranial deformity like cleft lip, palate and other deformities of skull, orbit, ear or nose. Maaya foundation has undertaken this programme in collaboration with DCKH, Germany. One out of 800 children born in Indian has these kind of deformities, he said and added that Maaya Foundation helps these people by providing treatment totally totally free.

The project was funded by Rotary club of Mangalore in the beginning and then by Rotary International. Now, DCKH, one of the NGOs that support the activity in India is sponsoring the treatment completely including speech therapy and orthodontics.

Dr Rao said that spreading awareness regarding the treatment is the biggest challenge he has faced and added that the whole therapy is a team work which requires the co-operation of various disciplines of medical science.

There are three other Kimaaya Cleft centres in India other than Mangalore— in Bhubaneshwar, Mumbai and Srinagar.   The Mangalore centre is headed by Maxillofacial Surgeon Prof Jogi Jose Chungath. Other than Dr Rao and Dr Jogi, Dr M S Ravi, Dr Akhter Hussain (Orthodontists), Dr George Thomas (Dentist) and Speech consultant Rashmi Rao are part of the Maaya team.  Dr Rashmi Rao, Dr Jogi, Dr Luebbe and President of DCKH Alexander Gross were present.

DHNS