Smile Train and NABH launch training initiative to enhance surgical safety for children with cleft conditions

The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals (NABH) and Smile Train, a global non-profit organisation focused on cleft care, have jointly launched a training initiative aimed at improving the quality and safety of paediatric cleft surgeries in India.

The programme, developed in collaboration with MedLern, India’s hospital training platform, was designed to upgrade the technical and practical skills of Operation Theatre (OT) Technicians involved in cleft procedures. According to Smile Train, one in every 700 children is born with a cleft lip or palate—a condition that, if left untreated, can lead to long-term challenges with nutrition, speech, and psychological development.

The pilot programme trained 37 mid-career OT Technicians from Smile Train’s network of partner hospitals across India. It incorporated hands-on simulation using MedLern’s hybrid learning modules, which combine theoretical reinforcement with practical experience on manikins. The training modules covered sterile techniques, equipment handling, and emergency protocols.

Expert faculty from NABH, Smile Train, and Maharaja Agrasen Hospital led the sessions, which included guidance from specialists in anaesthesia, plastic surgery, basic life support, and nursing. The three-day pilot was hosted at Maharaja Agrasen Hospital, with NABH facilitating expert contributions and programme design.

Dr Atul Mohan Kochhar, CEO of NABH, said, “The initiative underlines the need for theoretical and practical training to be a continuous element of improving the quality and safety of healthcare. We hope to inspire and encourage healthcare providers to incorporate continuous training into the workplace processes and culture.”

Renu Mehta, Smile Train’s Area Director for South Asia, stated, “This is a key partnership for us as we scale up support to patients with clefts. Today we have partnerships with 130+ hospitals in India. Training OT Technicians is a critical element of ensuring quality and safety in these procedures as the number of hospitals providing this service expands.”

Deepak Sharma, Co-Founder and CEO of MedLern, added, “We are humbled by the opportunity to be part of this critical initiative which touches millions of young lives. We are committed to providing innovative training approaches that suit the need of specific programs and the Modular Skills Trainer does exactly that.”

Smile Train has supported over 750,000 cleft surgeries in India to date. Many of these surgeries are performed on very young patients, making enhanced training for OT Technicians essential for safe surgical outcomes. The organisation and its partners plan to roll out the training programme nationally, reaching a broader group of hospitals and surgical teams.