July is National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month.

The month is used to raise awareness and improve understanding of body birth defects.

Birth defects are typically present at birth and can range from mild to severe.

Craniofacial anomalies can be genetic, meaning that a child can receive a particular gene or combination of genes from one or both parents.

These genes may have changed at the time of conception, which results in a craniofacial anomaly.

The crime prevention operation launched recently at Katima Mulilo has registered success in combating crime.

The operation, which included a community policing forum, was designed to improve crime-fighting strategies in response to reports of high rates of housebreaking in Choto and other compounds.

Only two cases of housebreaking have been reported since the operation started on the 16th of January, compared to an average of two cases per day before the launch.