Around 1583 children with cleft lip & palate and 443 children with skull and facial deformities are born every year in Karnataka. Karnataka State Health Department had launched 1000 smiles Karnataka in 2018 to provide free surgeries and other treatments like speech therapy, orthodontics to the poor children below the age of 18. <br />''<b><i><br />''</i></b>AIR Correspondent reports, the 1000 smiles Karnataka programme was launched under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram under the National Health Mission. In just two years, 1,036 children with cleft lip, skull and facial deformities have been treated successfully with excellent outcomes in aesthetics, speech, growth and nutritional status. <br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">The project has led to a significant positive impact on the beneficiaries, as well as their families. These children operated upon are now growing up normally into fine social and financial contributors to the society. <br />''<br />''Enthused by the success of this programme, the State Health Department has set an ambitious target to complete 5000 surgeries during 2021-22. This will make Karnataka a cleft free society.</span><br />