A team of South African medical practitioners recently donated their time to take part in an Operation Smile South Africa (OSSA) mission to repair cleft lips and palates in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

Among the volunteers were five plastic surgeons and several anaesthetists, some whom have had to close their private practices for almost two weeks to operate on the island’s poorest.

“There is no money in this and one has to be prepared to operate non-stop from eight in the morning to seven o’clock at night, but for me this was an incredible experience,” said Cape Town plastic surgeon, Dr Conrad Pienaar, who specialises in cleft repair.

“There aren’t many of us who specialise in this field. Usually I see about three to four cases per year in private practice, but by taking part in these missions I repair 80 to 100 per year.”

Pienaar, who has volunteered for several OSSA missions before, said that after more than a decade of training, it did not make sense for him to start a private practice solely to perform cosmetic procedures. Reconstructive surgery constitutes only 20% of his workload these days.

Two South African registrars, Dr Natasha Plaatjes (anaesthesiology) and Dr O’Sharran Singh (plastic surgery), gained valuable experience by participating in the mission.

A team of South African medical practitioners recently donated their time to take part in an Operation Smile South Africa (OSSA) mission to repair cleft lips and palates in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

Among the volunteers were five plastic surgeons and several anaesthetists, some whom have had to close their private practices for almost two weeks to operate on the island’s poorest.

“There is no money in this and one has to be prepared to operate non-stop from eight in the morning to seven o’clock at night, but for me this was an incredible experience,” said Cape Town plastic surgeon, Dr Conrad Pienaar, who specialises in cleft repair.

“There aren’t many of us who specialise in this field. Usually I see about three to four cases per year in private practice, but by taking part in these missions I repair 80 to 100 per year.”

Pienaar, who has volunteered for several OSSA missions before, said that after more than a decade of training, it did not make sense for him to start a private practice solely to perform cosmetic procedures. Reconstructive surgery constitutes only 20% of his workload these days.

Two South African registrars, Dr Natasha Plaatjes (anaesthesiology) and Dr O’Sharran Singh (plastic surgery), gained valuable experience by participating in the mission.