About 220 patients, children and adults, with cleft lips and cleft palates will undergo free surgery by a team of medical volunteers from Operation Smile South Africa (OSSA).Cleft lip (cheiloschisis) and cleft palate (palatoschisis), which can also occur together as cleft lip and palate, are variations of a deformity caused by abnormal facial development during gestation of a human being.OSSA officials explained that a cleft is an opening or a gap caused by non-fusion of the body's natural structures that form before birth. Addressing a news conference on Tuesday, Dr. Aime Lokulutu the OSSA Regional Director Central Africa said, "Anyone with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate should come to Centre Hospitalier Universitaire of Kigali (CHUK) on Thursday (March 16) for a free examination in order to possibly receive free surgery.”Lokulutu stated that all patients will be examined but the priority will be given to 220 patients with complicated cases that need urgent operation."If patients need assistance with transportation to CHUK, they should make their way to their local district hospital where free transport will be provided on the same day at 6 a.m. Buses will be provided from Ruhengeri, Byumba, Kabgayi, Gisenyi, Kibuye, Nyagatare, Kirehe and Rwinkwavu hospitals,” he explained.He noted that this will be OSSA’s third medical mission to Rwanda. To date the organisation has provided free surgeries to 541 patients.If chosen for surgery, patients will have to remain through surgery week and the post-operative assessment, and are asked to bring along clothing for the duration of the medical mission. Only one family member or guardian can accompany the patient.Dr. Bonavanture Nizeyimana, the Director of Public Hospitals in the Ministry of Health, told journalists that cleft lip and palate surgeries will kick off from 18-23 March 2012."The Ministry of Health signed a memorandum of understanding with OSSA in 2009 to operate patients with cleft lips and palates in a bid to eradicate the vice by 2013,” he said.Nizeyimana noted that the government was doing all it could to have more Rwandans develop expertise in plastic surgery so that the surgeries can be carried out without calling for foreign medical teams.The cleft lip and palate surgery programme is sponsored by MTN Rwanda, World Vision, Banque Populaire du Rwanda and STIPP Hotels.MTN Rwanda has announced continued financial support of the operations by pledging a financial commitment of $30,000 (Rwf 18 million) this year alone, to allow free operations to those affected."MTN Rwanda has partnered with OSSA for the last three years in these rare operations intended to enable Rwandans with cleft lips and cleft palates smile again. MTN last year alone donated over $10, 000,” John Bosco Sendahangarwa, MTN Rwanda’s Corporate Communication Manager, said during the same news conference."We have also played an ambassadorial role to make sure we bring other partners to support this cause. At MTN Rwanda, one percent (1%) of profit after taxes goes to support projects with long lasting benefits to the society. This is in line with our corporate social responsibility”.Operation Smile is a global non-profit, volunteer medical services organisation which provides free reconstructive surgery to children and adults with cleft lips and/or cleft palates in over 60 countries.