Spread of oral diseases reflects significant inequalities – Munjaingue

The deputy minister of health and social services, Esther Munjaingue, says the prevalence of oral diseases reflects significant inequalities, with marginalised communities being affected the most.

Munjaingue said this during the launch of Oral Health Awareness Week at Rundu in the Kavango East region yesterday.

The deputy minister referred to noma, a disease that destroys the mouths and faces of mostly young children.

She said if left untreated, it is 90% fatal, and is a marker of extreme poverty, primarily found in sub-Saharan African countries.

World Oral Health Day is observed on 20 March every year to raise awareness of better oral hygiene and health.

The campaign is being held under the theme ‘Be Proud of Your Mouth’, a three-year theme launched in 2021.

The deputy minister said in the African region, more than 480 million people suffer from oral diseases such as dental decay, periodontal disease, and tooth loss, despite most of these diseases being preventable.

She said factors contributing to oral diseases include an unhealthy diet high in sugar, smoking, the harmful use of alcohol, poor hygiene, and other social determinants.

“These are the same factors also responsible for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). As such, there is a unique opportunity to prioritise oral health as a means to contribute directly to reducing NCDs and their associated risk factors,” the deputy minister said.

Muinjangue said to achieve universal coverage in oral health, there are key focus areas to concentrate on, such as preventive measures by investing in education and awareness programmes.

Other focus areas are accessible dental care and the integration of oral health which can be fully integrated into the broader healthcare system, as well as education and empowerment through information.

In the past months, the regional directorate of health rendered oral outreach services to orphanages as well as the two correctional facilities found in the region, namely Divundu Correctional Facility and Elizabeth Nepemba Correctional Facility.

The team also visited the Nyangana and Andara district hospitals, with the Covid-19 isolation facility at Andara District Hospital having been repurposed to provide oral services which were being provided at the Shadikongoro clinic.