Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused organization, has officially opened a state-of-the-art Cleft Leadership Center (CLC) at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi. Dubbed the National Cleft Care Center – A Smile Train Cleft Leadership Center, the facility is now the largest cleft care center on the African continent.
At nearly 30,000 square feet, the new center is expected to dramatically expand Ghana’s cleft care capacity—scaling surgical treatment at KATH from approximately 150 to 850 patients annually and increasing surgical training from three to 18 cleft surgeons each year. This expansion comes at a critical time, as about 700 babies are born with clefts in Ghana each year, and many face delays in accessing care.
The center is the product of a four-way partnership between Smile Train, Ghana’s Ministry of Health, the Ghana Cleft Foundation, and KATH. Together, the coalition aims to unlock sustainable, high-quality cleft care across Ghana and the wider Sub-Saharan Africa region.
“The impact of this center will be immediate and far-reaching,” said Susannah Schaefer, President and CEO of Smile Train. “Many more children will now receive life-changing care, and we’re building a local workforce of trained professionals who will carry this mission forward for generations.”
In addition to surgical care, the National Cleft Care Center will provide comprehensive, wrap-around services—including nutritional support, speech therapy, orthodontics, psychosocial counseling, and oral health care. This will raise the number of patients receiving holistic cleft treatment from 150 to 850 annually.
For many families in Ghana and neighboring countries, timely access to cleft surgery and support services has been limited by cost, distance, and a shortage of specialized providers.
“This groundbreaking center will set a new standard for surgical care in Africa,” said Prof. Peter Donkor, President of the Ghana Cleft Foundation. “It exemplifies the long-term impact of Smile Train’s model—investing in local health systems and building lasting capacity.”
Before the launch of the center, KATH treated only around 100 cleft patients each year. Now, it will serve as a regional hub not only for patient care, but also for interdisciplinary training in cleft surgery and related fields.
“This partnership marks a significant milestone in Ghana’s health care journey,” said Dr. Paa Kwesi Baidoo, Acting CEO of KATH. “The National Cleft Care Center will expand access to high-quality care, train the next generation of cleft professionals, and support research into cleft treatment.”
The Ghana center joins Smile Train’s global network of Cleft Leadership Centers and reinforces the organization’s commitment to locally led, sustainable health care models. The Kumasi center is expected to transform the future of cleft care not only in Ghana, but across the continent.
