Fund oral health, govt told
May 14, 2009
THE Government should ensure that oral health is among its priorities to address dental problems, Mulago Dental School tutors have said.
By Francis Emorut
THE Government should ensure that oral health is among its priorities to address dental problems, Mulago Dental School tutors have said.
“Oral health has not been a priority just like water and sanitation was for sometime neglected,†said Dr. Louis Muwazi, the head of the Department of Dentistry at Makerere University.
Muwazi said equipment donated by the Rotary Club of Kampala North had enabled the school to extend services to orphans.
He said the school also offered treatment to children living with HIV/AIDS.
Muwazi was speaking at a meeting with Rotarians and the coordinator of Humanitarian Grants of Rotary International, Mary Howard, at the school on Tuesday.
Dr. Isaac Okullo, a senior lecturer, said oral health received less than 0.1% of the health budget.
William Acidru, the principal tutor, said the Government had a budget on primary health care, but oral health was still under funded.
“May be it is because of the belief that dental problems do not kill,†Acidru said.
Rotary Club of Kampala North president Charles Mwesige said the club was working with corporate organisations to treat vulnerable people.
He said the outreach programme, introduced in 2007, had treated over 10,000 pupils with dental problems in Mukono and Wakiso districts.
Howard was in the country to visit projects managed by the club.
She urged Rotarians to apply for funds to sponsor projects that would benefit the poor.
THE Government should ensure that oral health is among its priorities to address dental problems, Mulago Dental School tutors have said.
“Oral health has not been a priority just like water and sanitation was for sometime neglected,†said Dr. Louis Muwazi, the head of the Department of Dentistry at Makerere University.
Muwazi said equipment donated by the Rotary Club of Kampala North had enabled the school to extend services to orphans.
He said the school also offered treatment to children living with HIV/AIDS.
Muwazi was speaking at a meeting with Rotarians and the coordinator of Humanitarian Grants of Rotary International, Mary Howard, at the school on Tuesday.
Dr. Isaac Okullo, a senior lecturer, said oral health received less than 0.1% of the health budget.
William Acidru, the principal tutor, said the Government had a budget on primary health care, but oral health was still under funded.
“May be it is because of the belief that dental problems do not kill,†Acidru said.
Rotary Club of Kampala North president Charles Mwesige said the club was working with corporate organisations to treat vulnerable people.
He said the outreach programme, introduced in 2007, had treated over 10,000 pupils with dental problems in Mukono and Wakiso districts.
Howard was in the country to visit projects managed by the club.
She urged Rotarians to apply for funds to sponsor projects that would benefit the poor.