Govt schoolteacher gets girl’s cleft lip surgery done

Ahmedabad: In January, when Covid-19 epidemic had not engulfed Gujarat, Niketa Vyas, a teacher in government school in Vejalpur, was surprised to see a nine-year-old girl wearing a handkerchief on her face throughout the class. She later came to know that the girl had a condition identified as a cleft lip due to which she was not willing to mingle with other kids or show her face.
“The girl, Anita, is fourth in five siblings of a labourer couple that live in nine-member family.They had earlier tried to get her treated, but the cost was a deterrence,” said Vyas. “Through a few contacts, I got in touch with Dr Rishabh Shah. After getting to know the details of the case, Dr Shah agreed to do it for free.”
As the couple was working, the teacher agreed to take her to the doctor and even be with her during the surgery and follow-up. “The first thing she asked after the surgery was performed was: Can I now move around without a handkerchief on my face?” Vyas added.