9 April 2025 by Itumeleng Lebajoa 

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At just seven months into her pregnancy, *Mareitumetse Seleso (not her real names) goes into labour. Hours later, she welcomed her daughter into the world. Within seconds, clinicians whisked the newborn away and placed her on oxygen support, where she remained for two weeks.

When baby Reitumetse was finally taken off oxygen, Mareitumetse noticed something was terribly wrong—her daughter had a nose cleft.

A cleft is an opening or split in the upper lip, the roof of the mouth (palate), or both. According to the Mayo Clinic—a globally respected nonprofit medical institution known for its innovation, research, and quality healthcare—these openings occur when an unborn baby’s face and mouth are developing, but the upper lip and palate do not fully close.

“Cleft lip and cleft palate are among the most common birth defects. These defects can occur on their own or together. Sometimes, a genetic syndrome may be the cause. But in many cases, the cause is unknown,” states the Mayo Clinic.

Seeing the cleft on her newborn left Mareitumetse frightened. “I was scared to show people my child because of the nose cleft,” she told Uncensored News on April 4, 2025.

A merciful Knife

Desperate for help, Mareitumetse turned to Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital (QMMH)—Lesotho’s only tertiary care facility. After what felt like a long wait, her prayers were answered: the hospital called and scheduled her daughter for corrective surgery.

“Now that the surgery is done, I am happy my child is okay,” Mareitumetse said, gazing lovingly at her now 10-month-old baby.

The procedure, she said, gave her the confidence she had long been searching for—the courage to proudly introduce her daughter to the world. 

“I no longer fear being judged. I encourage other parents to seek surgery when it’s needed, so their children won’t grow up blaming them for not taking action,” she said.

A rare opportunity at home

Unlike young Reitumetse, most Basotho in need of plastic surgery must travel to Bloemfontein, South Africa—at a medical cost of at least M190,965 per patient to the Lesotho government. This figure excludes transport, medication, and follow-up consultation fees.

Plastic surgery is a broad medical field that goes beyond cosmetic enhancements. It also involves the surgical repair of congenital conditions such as cleft lips. According to Moleboheng Tau, the Managing Director at Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital (QMMH), the Ministry of Health is working on a plan to reduce the number of patients referred to Bloemfontein due to the high costs involved.

“There is a strategy to bring in super specialists to work in the country,” she said. “When super specialists come to Lesotho, patients are able to receive treatment at no cost.”

Tau added that QMMH has ongoing partnerships with international super specialists like Dr. Powers—a move that aligns with the ministry’s broader strategy to foster such collaborations for the benefit of Basotho.

While long-term plans are still in motion, for Reitumetse and 20 other Basotho patients in urgent need of corrective surgery, relief came at home—and at almost no cost at all.

Each patient paid just M15 for a consultation and M150 for the surgery, all thanks to Dr. Jeremy Powers, a visiting plastic and reconstructive surgeon volunteering at Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital (QMMH).

On April 4, 2025, Dr. Powers shared that it was his faith—and a decade-long friendship with QMMH’s Head of Surgery, Dr. Steve Kyota—that brought him to Lesotho.

“I met Dr. Steve ten years ago while I was in medical school, and he was performing surgery in Cameroon. Since then, we have stayed in contact through WhatsApp,” he said.

“When I finished my training and was looking for places where I could contribute my skills, Dr. Steve invited me here (QMMH),” he added.

Since arriving in Lesotho, Dr. Powers has treated various conditions, with the most common being contracture releases, skin grafts, and facial trauma.

He explained that the Ministry of Health, along with QMMH’s surgery and dental departments, compiled a list of patients ahead of his visit. 

“Once they heard I was coming, they arranged for the clinic, and we created a surgical schedule for the patients,” he said.

One of Dr. Powers’ beneficiaries is 18-year-old Hlubi Gouzela from Teyateyaneng, in the Berea district. Speaking to Uncensored News, Gouzela shared that he developed a deformity at the age of 13. At the time, he was in Grade 8 when doctors performed a medical procedure to assist him.

“After that, it started growing and became visibly noticeable to others. That is when I decided to consult Dr. Carlos, who then referred me to QMMH. There, I met Dr, Powers, who eventually performed the surgery,” he explained.

Another beneficiary is the son of a minister in Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s administration. He requested anonymity. In 2020, he sustained a stab wound on his arm that damaged blood vessels and muscles, leaving him unable to move all his fingers at once.

“Dr. Powers examined the vessels and muscles in my hand to find the root cause and told me I would need a follow-up assessment,” he said.

He added: “Since the surgery, I have regained some movement in my fingers—slowly—so I have now started physical therapy.”

Limited surgical equipment 

Meanwhile, Dr. Powers expressed concern over the limited surgical equipment available in Lesotho, which was used to perform 22 surgeries. He noted that many more complex surgeries could be performed if advanced medical equipment were accessible.

Dr. Steve Kyota, the Head of Surgeries at QMMH, added that if Dr. Powers had not accepted his invitation, they would have had to refer patients to Bloemfontein, as is usually the case for such surgeries.

“Patients sent to Bloemfontein are covered under government funding. If Dr. Powers had not come, we would have had to schedule surgeries over many years, using government funds. Instead, Dr. Powers performed surgeries on 21 patients in just a few weeks,” he explained.

In conclusion, Dr. Kyota expressed his excitement about the impact of the surgeries, stating that they have changed the lives of the patients.

“Now, parents won’t feel the need to hide their children anymore, and the children will be able to attend school with a smile,” he said.