Health Ministry’s dental outreach receives overwhelming response
- partner lauded for coming on board
Georgetown, GINA, March 21, 2012
Source - GINA
At the start of the year the Health Ministry began benefiting from more overtures from the private sector to promote the delivery of health care services, particularly in the areas of eye care, blood donation and the delivery of VIA services.
On Monday the Ministry in collaboration with the Rotary Club commenced a three - day oral health outreach within the vicinity of Muneshwars and Laparkan Group of Companies, Water Street, which allowed shoppers and, employees in the vicinity to access free dental care via a mobile dental unit.
On the first day of the event 65 persons received attention with the number reached 75 on the second day and today over 100 people benefitted. Citizens were able to have their teeth cleaned, filled and extracted where necessary, free of cost.
The mobile dental unit stationed on Water Street opposite Muneshwars
Minister of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsaran who was at the outreach area today, reiterated that Laparkan has been providing much support to the ministry’s initiatives as during January and February the organisation made room for the delivery of eye care, VIA services and blood donations.
Minister Ramsaran noted that during the first two months of this year, over 200 persons’ eyes were screened with many of them have already received surgery at the National Ophthalmology Hospital in Port Mourant, Region 6.
“What we are showing is that primary health care and preventative medicine can be brought to the public, while at the same time, we are using these activities to sensitise the public as to where these services exist in their communities,” he said.
Members of the public receiving free dental care
In Georgetown, dental units are located at the F. E. Pollard primary, North Georgetown and North Ruimveldt secondary schools and at the Campbellville and East La Penitence health centres. Oral health care is mostly accessed at the Georgetown Dental School however; persons can still visit the schools in their communities.
One of the three existing dental caravans was used at the outreach, the largest, owned by the Rotary Club. Two smaller units belong to the Health Ministry and these are currently stationed on the East Coast and on the Corentyne Coast.
Minister Ramsaran noted that at an outreach in Cane Grove over 1500 people benefited from dental and eye care services, following which the mobile unit moved to Helena, Mahaica where more people are afforded the opportunity to access much needed services.
At the University of Guyana’s graduation last year, five dentists completed the programme offered at the institution while 40 more are currently in training. There are also others being trained through the Health Ministry’s dentex programme.
The Ministry is endeavouring to expand its dental programme which will be made possible through a commitment of the Rotary Club to supply additional chairs.
Principal Dental Surgeon, Dr. Shameer Ali noted that while the existing resources are being stretched there still is an on-going school programme where students are benefiting from eye screening and dental care.
Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran interacting with beneficiaries of the dental outreach. Also in photo is Guyana’s Principal Dental Surgeon, Dr. Shameer Ali.
Dr. Ali indicated that the vision now is to extend the school programme in New Amsterdam, Region 6 and Linden, Region 10, and even to the Essequibo Coast. This expansion will be another collaborative effort with the Rotary Club.
He added that Colgate/Palmolive Guyana Limited has also been a stalwart in the school dental programme and provides learning materials and dental kits to students. The organisation also provides stipends to some of the Ministry’s dental staff who are involved in the school programme.