New training initiative aims to standardise and enhance operating theatre practices across Smile Train partner hospitals in India

The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals (NABH) and Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused nonprofit, have jointly launched a comprehensive Operating Theatre (OT) Technician Training Program, supported by MedLern, India’s leading digital learning platform for hospital staff.

The initiative is designed to equip mid-career OT technicians with advanced, simulation-based skills tailored to cleft surgery procedures—a critical need, given that one in every 700 children is born with a cleft in India. If left untreated, clefts can result in severe nutritional, speech, and developmental challenges.

Addressing a critical skills gap

The pilot phase of the program trained 37 OT technicians from Smile Train partner hospitals across India. Through hands-on sessions, participants enhanced their capabilities in sterile techniques, equipment handling, emergency preparedness, and cleft-specific surgical support. The three-day training was held at Maharaja Agrasen Hospital, supported by expert faculty in anaesthesia, plastic surgery, nursing, and basic life support.

Dr. Atul Mohan Kochhar, CEO of NABH, highlighted the broader implications, “Continuous hands-on and theoretical training is key to elevating safety and quality benchmarks in Indian healthcare. This initiative exemplifies the culture of competency that NABH promotes through its accreditation and quality frameworks.”

MedLern’s hybrid approach strengthens confidence and outcomes

MedLern brought in its proprietary Modular Skills Trainer, enabling trainees to not only learn but also practice and be assessed in real-time using manikins. The hybrid training model, integrating digital learning with simulation, has shown measurable success in improving procedural confidence among healthcare workers.

Deepak Sharma, Co-Founder and CEO of MedLern, emphasised the tailored nature of the training, “Programs like these are at the core of our mission. Our modular approach adapts seamlessly to clinical specialities, ensuring that OT staff are not only trained but truly prepared for high-stakes environments like pediatric cleft surgeries.”

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Commitment to scale and sustainability

Smile Train, which has facilitated over 750,000 free cleft surgeries in India through a network of 130+ partner hospitals, aims to scale the program nationally. Training OT technicians is seen as a key strategy in ensuring safety as the number of cleft treatment centres expands.

Renu Mehta, Area Director – South Asia at Smile Train, said, “This initiative supports our mission to deliver high-quality cleft care sustainably. As our footprint grows, ensuring that operating room technicians are skilled and confident becomes imperative for patient safety and positive outcomes.”

This collaboration among NABH, Smile Train, and MedLern underscores the shared vision of raising safety standards in pediatric surgery by focusing on workforce capacity-building and institutional excellence. Future training cohorts are already being planned, indicating a commitment to long-term impact and national scalability.

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