The Lancet Features Operation Smile: Local Partnerships in Peru Driving Lasting Change

Five billion people worldwide lack access to safe, affordable surgery. In a country like Peru, with its vast mountain ranges and remote Amazonian communities, these barriers can prevent many from receiving the healthcare they need.

As a new article in The Lancet, one of the world’s most prestigious medical journals, discusses, Operation Smile believes a person’s geography should not determine if they can get the care they need. We partner with local teams to strengthen local healthcare systems that bring care closer to home. This work involves training local healthcare professionals, equipping hospitals with essential equipment and resources, and advancing health policy to ensure long-term, systemic change.

In Peru, this work is a collaborative approach with local partners, building lasting change.

Building Sustainable Systems in Peru

Talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not. In Peru, a child born with a cleft condition in a remote community may wait years for surgery. Their family might face a long journey across mountains or lack the funds to pay for care.

As health journalist Jacqui Thornton reports in The Lancet, Operation Smile is working to change this through partnerships with the Ministry of Health and local health leaders. By investing in training programs and equipping hospitals, we are giving communities the tools they need to deliver high-quality care independently. “Operation Smile Peru works hard to raise awareness and find suitable surgical candidates for free treatment as part of its independently run training program, but with the support of the Ministry of Health,” writes Thorton.

“Our trainings, hospital partnerships and investments are designed to be coordinated with the country’s needs and embedded within the public health system, ensuring sustainability,” said Lizet Campos, country director of Operation Smile Peru. This collaborative approach equips local health systems to address critical surgical needs for the long term.

Bringing Care Closer to Home

Operation Smile’s global commitment, Operation 100, is dedicated to breaking down barriers to care. For millions of families, the greatest of these is distance.

This was the reality for 10-month-old Jhon and his parents, who traveled for two days by boat and bus from their home in Pucallpa, near the Amazon jungle, to get the cleft lip surgery he needed.

The Lancet spotlights Jhon’s story, which shows why investing in local health workers and building sustainable systems is imperative. By training and equipping more health professionals, we are bringing care closer to home for patients like him. Operation Smile’s partnerships also help expand access to comprehensive cleft care, including speech therapy, nutrition, oral health and psychosocial support.

The Lancet affirms this approach, highlighting the significant strides Peru is making in expanding access to care, especially for patients in remote areas. It details how dedicated capacity-building efforts are tackling challenges like a shortage of trained surgeons, limited infrastructure and the financial burdens on families.

“Even for patients who have timely surgery, there is a need for specialist speech therapy, ongoing specialist dental treatment, nutrition guidance and psychosocial care before and after operations, which Operation Smile provides,” writes Thornton.

Operation Smile’ is helping to address these challenges by implementing sustainable training programs, forming hospital partnerships and introducing innovative tools like AI-enabled speech therapy.

You Can Help Transform Lives

These achievements are only possible with the support of Operation Smile’s global community. Every donation, shared story and moment of support creates extraordinary change.

We invite you to read the full article and learn more about how our local partnerships and Operation 100 are creating lasting change. Together, we can build a world where every child has access to the care they deserve.

Read the full article here.