SALVATION ARMY CONDUCTS FREE CLEFT LIP OPERATIONS IN PALU

Palu, C Sulawesi, Nov 25 (ANTARA) - The Salvation Army in Indonesia during a two-day civic mission from Tuesday to Wednesday is to conduct free cleft lip and cataract operations for low-income people in Palu as part of its activities to observe the 114th anniversary of the International Salavation Army movement.
A spokesman for the civinc mission's committee, Frans Laua, said here Tuesday a team of medical and paramedical workers had started to examine the physical conditions of the people who had registered for the free medical services.
About 60 people had been listed for the cleft lip operation and a few hundred for the cataract surgery.
He said the operations would be conducted on Wednesday at the Salvation Army General Hospital on Woodward street in south Palu after Palu Mayor Rusdi Mastura had officially opened the civic mission.
The Salvation Army's plan to perform the free cleft lip and cataract operations had been announced during the past four months through print media, radio, and at places of worship in Central Sulawesi.
But Laua said the cleft lip and cataract operation could not be done at the same time on Wednesday because the number of cataract patients was rather big.
"Since the number of cataract patients is rather big, the committee has decided to conduct the cleft lip operation first on Wednesday and then continue with the cataract patients gradually," he said.
He added that the cataract operations would be carried out in January next year because extra preparations needed to be made.