The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged Ministries of Health in different African countries to prioritise oral health agenda as part of its development agendas.
The call to prioritise oral health agenda comes on this year’s observance of the World Oral Health Day.
According to the agency, more than 480 million Africans suffer from oral diseases such as dental caries and periodontal disease and tooth loss, despite most of these being preventable.
The regional director for WHO in Africa Matshidiso Moeti notes that the burden of oral diseases reflects significant inequalities, with marginalised populations disproportionately impacted.
WHO says concrete steps are required to curtail the marketing, advertising, and sale of products that contribute to oral diseases.
World Oral Health Day is marked annually on 20 March, to raise awareness around the importance of oral health. In line with the aim of achieving “Oral Health for All”, WHO takes this opportunity to inspire behaviour change amongst individuals and communities, and urges governments, non-government organisations and the private sector to work towards an enabling environment that will make this possible.
Despite the fact that most oral disorders, such as dental caries, periodontal disease, and tooth loss, are avoidable, more than 480 million people in the WHO African Region suffer from them.
Oral illnesses have a disproportionate impact on vulnerable people, reflecting major inequities. Noma, for example, is a condition that primarily affects children’s lips and faces. It is lethal in 90% of these cases if left untreated. It is mostly found in Sub-Saharan Africa and is a sign of extreme poverty.