From America with smiles

Dr James Mchenga is Malawi’s sole surgeon specialised in repairing jaw and face conditions.

The medical doctor has a blow-by-blow presentation that makes him cry for his clients. The presentation outlines the gaps in detection, care and treatment of oral and facial cases in the country.

 “The needs of the clients queuing for surgery to fix their mouth, jaws, face and neck are enormous,” he says, switching to the next slide. “There are more than 200 patients on the waiting list, but there are doctors to attend to them and no tools and supplies required for the procedures.”

Mchenga could not fight back his tears in June when he made the briefing to welcome 12 surgeons and four supporting staff from US-based medical charity Smiling Surgeons. The American team held a two week medical camp at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH)  in Blantyre.

Wiping tears off his cheek, Mchenga smiles as he looks at some of the patients he has treated with the meagre resources. But the smile quickly fades away.

“The surgeries require a lot of resources, skills and time, but lack of theatre space and other resources such as plates and screws is affecting service delivery,” he laments.

He bemoans that most cases present to the central hospitals too late as they waste time seeking traditional medicine and spiritual assistance.

“The health system has too many stops for one to get to the central hospital,” he observes.

The rise in motorcycle accidents has also increased the number of casualties with facial injuries, according to the surgeon.

Esme Chombo, Malawi Ambassador to the US, initiated the camp to lessen the plight of people with facial conditions that affect their looks, self-esteem and participation in public life.

Restoring smiles

The envoy, a retired High Court of Malawi judge, says she will not relent using her diplomatic influence to promote access to vital health services for neglected conditions.

She says: “I met Dr Tania Nkungula, the specialist oral surgeon who briefed on the need for oral surgeons.

“We linked Dr Nkungula with Dr Mchenga, so she organised the team of doctors who travelled to Malawi at their own expense.”

The team brought the necessary equipment, utensils and other supplies for use during the treatment camp aimed at restoring the smiles of people with jaw and facial deformities.

Their medical camp puts a smile on the faces of both Mchenga and his clients.

The beneficiaries include seven-year-old Thokozani Mpokosa, who has endured a painful tumour close  to her ear since 2020. The swelling worsened as they hopped from one healthcare facility to another, looking for a healing.

“We were referred to QECH, where people endure long waits for treatment. It’s by grace that out of many people waiting for surgery, my daughter was among those selected to see the surgeons,” says her father, Peter.

Now the three-year-torment is behind her.

Smiling all the way home, Thokozani was the youngest patient treated by the US team during the medical camp. She is looking forward to return to school and reclaim her top 10 position in Standard Two at Thondwe Primary School in Zomba.

Nkungula, an American-trained oral and maxillofacial surgeon, is thrilled that the first medical camp has brought joy to Malawians.

She states: “We chose to serve the people of Malawi because there is only one oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

“It seemed unfair as a Malawian who has been assisted by Malawians to become a specialist to come in the country and leave without assisting a patient.”

The procedure helps fix mouth, face and jaws conditions, including crippling tumours or growths.

The disfiguring conditions also make eating, talking, laughing and social interactions challenging.

“Our goal is to support Mchenga with our skills and the much-needed instruments that limit the ability for patients to receive quality and timely care,” she says.

‘We shall go to them’

Smiling Surgeons are followed by more than 1 200 dentists on Instagram. The movement is registered as a non-profit entity in Maryland, US.

For Nkungula, their coming could just be the beginning of good things in the country’s oral health strides.

“We hope we can raise funds to facilitate trips like these to help take care of patients and their needs,” she says.

Nkungula dreams of having a floating hospital on Lake Malawi to increase access to the vital procedure.

She narrates: “One of my dreams is to work along the lake. Perhaps, we can get a boat equipped and as we travel the lake that will lead us to Tanzania and Mozambique so that we can serve people along the shoreline that may not have access to care.

“Where the need calls, we will go there.”