Cleft Lip & Palate Surgery – Restoring Smiles, Restoring Futures

Cleft lip and cleft palate are among the most common birth defects in Pakistan, and timely surgery is essential for a child’s ability to eat, speak, and live with confidence. A single cleft repair surgery in the private sector costs approximately PKR 250,000, which is far beyond the reach of most families.

The Birth Defects Foundation proudly provides 100% free-of-cost cleft lip and palate surgeries for children from all across Pakistan — without discrimination and without financial burden.

Our Chief Surgeon, Professor Dr. Afzal Sheikh, is one of the most respected pediatric surgeons in the region. To date, he has performed nearly 19,000 successful cleft surgeries, transforming the lives and faces of thousands of children. These children travel from remote and underserved areas of Pakistan in search of hope — and leave with new smiles and new futures.

Through this project, the Birth Defects Foundation continues to spread light, dignity, and confidence on the faces of children who once lived in silence and pain.