?Rotary International, District 9125 Nigeria and District 6450 USA are conducting free cleft surgeries for 100 Nigerian children.

The project also involves the Kwara State Government, the Mike Omotosho Foundation and the Alliance for Smiles based in the United States of America.

The cleft lip and palate reformatory surgery is to be performed by a team of surgeons from the United States of America, Australia and Nigeria.

Cleft lip and cleft palate (Orofacial Cleft) are birth defects that occur when a baby's lip or mouth do not form properly during pregnancy. Orofacial clefts (OFC) are the most common malformations of the head and neck. ?Rotary is also calling for the setting up of birth defects registries across the country. This, the organization believes, would help in determining Nigeria's birth defects prevalence.

"Rotary International District 9125 believes that there is an urgent need to invest in children with birth defects and reduce neonatal and under 5 mortality," District Governor, Dr. Mike Omotosho, said in a statement in Abuja.

According to Omotosho, "The opportunity to provide free surgical care for OFC opens a new vista for public awareness, prevention and research. Surgery is an important and life-saving but largely unreachable component of the services required to treat children with Orofacial Clefts. In view of the above background, we have concluded arrangements to organize free surgeries for indigent patients with Orofacial Clefts in communities across Nigeria.The surgery site is the General Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara State from January 10 -22, 2016."

A team of 17 Volunteers comprising doctors, nurses and other paramedics will be arriving Nigeria from USA, Canada and Australia on the 8th January, 2016 for this purpose.