Tkatchenko helps birth defect children

Picture taken to suit Caption

By TODAGIA KELOLA

A FIVE-year-old Goilala boy, Patrick Maini, will finally go into the operating theatre on March 6 for a life-changing operation, thanks to the Port Moresby general hospital board and Moresby South MP Justin Tkatchenko yesterday.
Mr Tkatchenko was on an electoral commitment two weeks ago to a small Goilala community near Kilakila primary school to offer his assistance after they had lost their homes in an ethic clash when he noticed
Maini’s cleft lip.
 

The member also learnt of another case in 17-year-old Marie-Louise Maidang at the same occasion. Mr Tkatchenko also brought her to the hospital for consultation yesterday.
Both were with cleft lip and palate, a birth defect that affects the upper lip and the roof of the mouth. They were finally granted the opportunity of consultation with specialists at the main city hospital and an appointment date set for an operation.
MP Tkatchenko escorted Maini and Maidang at 8.30am yesterday to the main consultation clinic where specialist Dr Moses Maire was able to consult, diagnose and set them up.
“I am very pleased and satisfied that Patrick Maini and Marie-Louise have been seen by the specialist and now have the opportunity to get operated on and for both of them to live like normal kids,” Mr Tkatchenko said.
 

“Mi amamas, mipela hat laip na tingting olsem em bai hat long kisim pikinini blong mi kam na kisim displa kain tritmen na operesen, bikpela tenkyu tru lo Minister na Memba blong mipela. Em bai senisim laip vilong mipela planti long Mosbi Saut,” Patrick’s mother, Simona Maini, said in Pidgin English.
“Thirty percent of our cases have the same problems, and though we cannot operate on all of them, we try to do the best we can for the cases we get,” Dr Maire said.
Dr Maire has set Maini up to be admitted on March 5 for a March 6 operation, while Maidang will return or Thursday for further consultation and diagnosis.