In July 2026, a medical team from West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, under the guidance of the Health Commission of Sichuan Province, carried out a free cleft lip and palate treatment program named "Smile Journey" in Maputo, Mozambique, marking the 50th anniversary of China-Mozambique health cooperation.

The team, composed of surgeons Zheng Qian and Yang Chao, anesthesiologist Liu Le, and nurse Wang Dan, screened over 30 children and performed 21 successful surgeries over two weeks, working alongside Mozambican staff. The procedures restored normal eating and speaking functions for the young patients.

Beyond surgery, the team trained local healthcare workers in standardized protocols and postoperative care, aiming to strengthen Mozambique's long-term surgical capacity. The initiative was widely recognized by both Chinese and Mozambican authorities as a vivid example of mutual assistance and solidarity under the China-Africa health partnership.