In 2020 EACMFS signed a MoU with the NGO Future Faces, and as part of it approved two scholarships for the training of at least two local Nepali surgeons (not necessarily at the same time) calculated between 6.000-12.000€, covering:
- Travel and accommodation and subsistence for two Nepalese surgeons to Europe for a one-month period (or more if possible)
- Travel and accommodation subsistence for two European surgeons to Nepal for a twoweek period
The SARS-Cov-2 pandemic has delayed the start-up of this program, which will benefit a region of Nepal with few maxillofacial surgery services.
Nepal is a small low resource country located in between two big developing countries, India and China. Province-2, with a population of approximately 6 million, is one of the two poorest provinces in Nepal and this is very well reflected in the status of healthcare facilities for the population at large
Management of traumatic injuries, head and neck cancer and congenital anomalies demand attention especially in this impoverished country where the use of seat belts and crash helmets are non-obligatory, and facilities to manage cancer as well as clefts and craniofacial deformity may be non-existent, minimal or very basic.
The Craniomaxillofacial Centre in Janakpur was established in 2017 to address the lack of resources for the treatment of children born with craniofacial anomalies in Province 2, as well as people of all ages who have suffered craniomaxillofacial trauma or present with oral/oropharyngeal cancer. Within the realm of global reconstructive surgery, injuries account for 38% of the surgical burden of disease, malignancies 18% and congenital disease 9%. There was no formal provision or designated centre for cleft and craniofacial anomalies where some uncoordinated surgery is still carried out by untrained private practitioners. For a few fortunate wealthy people, there may be access to services in other countries but for most, this surgery is not accessible, and they live with deformities affecting facial appearance and unemployment.
The Craniofacial Centre was established by Future Faces (www.futurefaces.org.uk).
The service and facilities have been developed to provide a safe surgical environment in all fields of Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, and to train local surgeons to achieve best outcomes and become independent. The Centre works closely with the Janakpur Trauma Orthopaedic Centre, the Janakpur Provincial Hospital and the new Madheshi medical university. Education is central to the success of this programme and plays a significant and important role. Highly qualified and experienced surgeons visit the centre on a regular basis to monitor developments, ensure high standards of care and practice, and provide training. Opportunities for craniomaxillofacial surgeons to extend their experience and qualifications by taking part in additional training in centres of excellence in India, and with additional funding from the EACMFS for bilateral exchange programmes in Europe
