The Pan African Association for Cleft Lip and Palate (PAACLIP) is an association whose sole aim is to promote awareness, training and treatment of cleft lip and palate in Africa. PAACLIP membership includes paediatricians, nurses, speech therapists, volunteers, managers, surgeons, orthodontists, nutritionists, dentists, psychologists, social workers, mobilizers etc.
Vision
Every African child with cleft lip and palate will receive quality, prompt, and comprehensive treatment by highly qualified professionals.
Mission
Create awareness about cleft, provide opportunities for cleft practitioners to interact and learn from each other, and advocate for material and financial support for cleft related activities.
History of PAACLIP
In the year 2005, Prof. Linda D’Antonio, a Speech and Language Pathologist and a member of Smile Train Board of Trustees at the time, initiated a meeting of stakeholders to discuss strategies for advancing cleft care in Africa.
The First PAACLIP Conference was held at International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan between February 4th to 7th 2006. It was sponsored majorly by Smile Train in collaboration with Loma Linda University and Adventist Health International. The conference was well attended by 260 people including surgeons, anaesthetists, speech pathologists among others from all over Africa, Europe, India and America. Dr. Sam Nordhoff, Dr. Ian Jackson, Dr A.S. Adewanla and Dr. Richard Kirschner were some of the international attendees. The meeting also had in attendance traditional rulers, heads of institutions and government representatives. A protem executive committee was appointed and Prof O.M. Oluwatosin became the protem President, Prof Olasoji the vice president and Prof Olaitan was the protem Secretary. The protem committee put together a constitution for the association.
The Second PAACLIP Conference held in 2007 at Ibadan, sponsored by Smile Train, during which the first set of Executives were elected:
• President - Peter Donkor
• Vice President - Brenda Louw
• Secretary - Hector O. Olasoji
• Treasurer - Gbenga Ogunlewe
• Financial Secretary - Mekonen Eshete
• East African Representative - Paresh Devani
• Francophone Representative - Emmanuel Crezoit
• West African Representative - Pius Agbenorku
• Member - Asrat Mengiste
• Member - Odunayo Oluwatosin
The Third PAACLIP Conference took place in Ghana in 2011 when Prof. Donkor's executives handed over to Dr. Asrat Mengiste’s executives:
• President – Asrat Mengiste
• Vice President – Pius Agbernoku
• Secretary – Meshach Onguti
• Treasurer – Rose Alenyo
• Financial Secretary – Peter Olaitan
• East African Representative – Edward Wayi
• Francophone Representative – Emmanuel Crezoit
• West African Representative – Adebola Adetokunbo
• South African Representative – Saraiva Simao
The Fourth PAACLIP Conference and a Meeting took place in Addis Ababa (2012) and in Nairobi, Kenya (2018) respectively while the Fifth PAACLIP Conference, also sponsored by Smile Train, took place in Harare, Zimbabwe, where the Dr. Asrat’s Executives handed over to the 2024 Executives.