Hull doctor transforms children's lives in Pakistan

The deformities occur whilst the child is developing in the womb

A Hull doctor is providing surgery to help children with facial deformities in Pakistan.

Dr Muhammad Riaz works as a plastic surgeon at the city's Castle Hill Hospital.

Over the last few years he has been using his surgical skills to operate on Pakistani children suffering from cleft lip and cleft palate deformities.

The illness leads to gaps in the lips and palate.

The condition is caused by a variety of factors, some genetic and some environmental; such as malnutrition.

Sufferers can find it difficult to eat or talk. The major problem is social isolation.

Mohammed Aslam MBE runs the Walsall based Midland International Aid Trust. His organisation funds Dr Riaz and his medical team's trips to Pakistan.

He said the simple surgery can have a dramatic effect on the children's lives:

"The children are so happy because they can mix with the schoolchildren in the playground. Before it was impossible for them, they seemed to be neglected. They've been teased by the other children in the school and in the play-area. But now they are so confident and so happy."

Dr Muhammed Riaz works at Castle Hill Hospital

Dr Riaz has been providing his skills for free for more than 10 years. On each trip he and his fellow surgeons can operate on 200 cases.

He said that the seeing the impact that the surgery has on the children motivates him to return.

"When you are able to do something, and the difference it makes to their lives, I think that is very satisfying That keeps us to a mood to keep coming back to do this work."