Felesiana’s surgery a success

FELESIANA Nauwake (3), who suffers from the disfiguring disease noma, has returned from South Africa after surgery to prevent her from going blind.

Surgeons also released her tongue and jaw muscles, and Felesiana is now able to talk. In January she will fly to South Africa again for reconstructive surgery to her face.After that, she will need two smaller operations.The Student Representative Council of the DHPS School in Windhoek recently held a casual day at the school to raise more than N$3 000 for Felesiana’s medical costs.Pupils also bought presents for the sick little girl.Noma is a gangrenous condition that destroys the soft and hard tissues of the mouth and face.The World Health Organisation estimates that more than 100 000 children contract noma every year.The mortality rate of this infection is 70 to 90 per cent.Children who survive the disease are permanently disfigured and become stigmatised in their societies.They are also left unable to breathe, eat or speak properly for the rest of their lives, unless they receive costly reconstructive surgery.Noma affects children with weak immune systems and children suffering from malnutrition, HIV-AIDS, measles and other infectious diseases related to poverty.Children living in unsanitary conditions are also at risk.In January she will fly to South Africa again for reconstructive surgery to her face.After that, she will need two smaller operations.The Student Representative Council of the DHPS School in Windhoek recently held a casual day at the school to raise more than N$3 000 for Felesiana’s medical costs.Pupils also bought presents for the sick little girl.Noma is a gangrenous condition that destroys the soft and hard tissues of the mouth and face.The World Health Organisation estimates that more than 100 000 children contract noma every year.The mortality rate of this infection is 70 to 90 per cent.Children who survive the disease are permanently disfigured and become stigmatised in their societies.They are also left unable to breathe, eat or speak properly for the rest of their lives, unless they receive costly reconstructive surgery.Noma affects children with weak immune systems and children suffering from malnutrition, HIV-AIDS, measles and other infectious diseases related to poverty.Children living in unsanitary conditions are also at risk.