Smile Train, the world's largest cleft-focused non-profit organisation, will bring together leading cleft care professionals from Africa and India for the Indo-Africa Cleft Conference in Goa, India, to strengthen collaboration and improve access to comprehensive cleft treatment.

The conference, scheduled for July 20 to 23, 2026, will be held under the theme "Synergy 2026: Excelling Together" and is expected to bring together more than 50 healthcare professionals from 18 African countries.

Participants will include surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, speech therapists, orthodontists, nutritionists, researchers and healthcare leaders, who will exchange knowledge and best practices in cleft care.

Smile Train's Vice-President and Regional Director for Africa, Nkeiruka Obi, said collaboration between Africa and India has played a significant role in strengthening the organisation's programmes across both regions.

She said the conference would deepen strategic partnerships and enable participants to learn from the innovative approaches developed in similar healthcare environments.

"India and Africa have near similar experiences and challenges in addressing clefts. By fostering stronger partnerships between Africa and India, the Indo-Africa Cleft Conference reinforces a shared vision of ensuring that every person born with a cleft has access to safe and high-quality surgery, comprehensive treatment, and lifelong care regardless of where they live," she said.

Senior Vice-President and Regional Director for Asia, Mamta Carroll, said the conference would promote multidisciplinary care while strengthening training, mentorship, research and collaboration among healthcare professionals.

"The conference's robust programme will allow participants to gain practical insights into implementing and adapting comprehensive cleft care models while addressing common challenges faced across low-resource settings," she noted.

According to Smile Train, a child is born with a cleft lip and/or palate somewhere in the world every three minutes, making access to specialised treatment a significant global health priority.

The organisation's "teach a person to fish" model has supported more than two million free life-changing cleft surgeries in over 75 countries by equipping local medical professionals with the skills and resources needed to provide sustainable care.

The upcoming conference builds on the success of the inaugural Indo-Africa Cleft Conference held in Nairobi in 2012 and aims to institutionalise collaboration between Africa and India by documenting successful care models and establishing long-term partnerships beyond the event.