Smile Train Senior Vice-President and Regional Director for Asia Mamta Carroll and Vice-President and Regional Director for Africa Mrs Nkeiruka Obi exchange a heartfelt moment during the opening ceremony of the Indo-Africa Cleft Conference in Goa, India./HANDOUT
More than 160 healthcare specialists from India and Africa have renewed their commitment to improving treatment for children born with cleft conditions.
The specialists are using a major international conference to strengthen partnerships and share innovations that are transforming lives.
The experts gathered at the two-day Indo-Africa Cleft Conference 2026, where surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, speech therapists, orthodontists and other specialists exchanged knowledge aimed at improving access to quality cleft care across the two regions.
Organised by Smile Train under the theme “Synergy 2026: Excelling Together,” the conference focused on building stronger locally led healthcare systems through training, skills development and cross-border collaboration.
Speaking at the meeting, Smile Train Senior Vice President and Regional Director for Asia Mamta Carroll said the partnership between India and Africa has evolved into a powerful platform for learning and innovation.
“Indo-Africa Synergy represents much more than a conference; it reflects how Smile Train believes sustainable change happens,” Carroll said.
She noted that both regions have spent more than a decade building expertise in comprehensive cleft care through locally driven programmes.
“Over the past decade, both India and Africa have built remarkable expertise through locally led programmes, and today we can learn from one another as equal partners.”
Carroll said sharing experience and strengthening local capacity would ultimately improve outcomes for children born with cleft conditions.
“By sharing knowledge, strengthening skills and co-creating solutions, we are investing not only in healthcare professionals but also in better outcomes for every child born with a cleft,” she said.
The conference builds on an initiative launched in 2012 that brings together professionals from India and Africa to exchange lessons and best practices in comprehensive cleft care.
Smile Train officials said both regions have made significant progress in expanding access to treatment while developing solutions tailored to their local healthcare systems and patient needs.
Smile Train Vice President and Regional Director for Africa Nkeiruka Obi said the collaboration would help accelerate access to safe, high-quality care for more children and families.
“India and Africa bring together two of Smile Train’s largest and most experienced programmes, each with deep expertise gained over years in providing safe and high-quality comprehensive cleft care within diverse local contexts,” Obi said.
She described the conference as an important opportunity for healthcare professionals to exchange practical ideas while strengthening their skills.
“This conference offers a valuable opportunity to learn from our experiences, share practical solutions and innovations, while strengthening the capacity of cleft care professionals,” she said.
The meeting featured expert discussions and practical workshops on surgical excellence, patient safety, speech therapy, orthodontic treatment and comprehensive care beyond surgery.
Participants also explored ways of strengthening advocacy, community engagement and health systems, noting that successful cleft treatment extends beyond surgery to include long-term rehabilitation and support.
Smile Train said its approach focuses on empowering local healthcare professionals through funding, training and re
The organisation’s programmes have expanded steadily over the years.
Since launching operations in Africa in 2002, Smile Train has supported treatment that has transformed the lives of more than 200,000 people in nearly 40 countries.
In India, it has helped provide more than 800,000 free cleft surgeries since 2000 through a network of more than 130 partner hospitals.
