Ambassador Leslie Bassett highlighted that the American initiative Operation Smile, “has the support of the best Paraguayan doctors and volunteers” and described the work they do as “impressive”.
The U.S. Ambassador visited the Central Military Hospital of Sajonia, accompanied by USAID/Paraguay Director, Fernando Cossich, with whom she walked the hospital corridors, greeting the young patients and sharing experiences with their families, volunteers and physicians.
Karen Coronel, Executive Director of Foundation Operation Smile Paraguay, said that in the ten years of presence in Paraguay, Operation Smile has conducted 1,765 surgeries and over 3,600 medical consultations. In total, 104 cleft lip and palate surgeries were performed, during 2015. Several American physicians participated in this edition, led by chief surgeon, Dr. Benjamin Rodriguez.
Recently, Operation Smile Paraguay inaugurated the first Comprehensive Care Clinic for Cleft Lip and Palate. An important part of the equipment necessary to make the clinic operational and sustainable came through a project with USAID / Paraguay.
