Kano offers free dental service to 16,000 patients

No few than 16,000 patients from the five Emirate councils in Kano State have benefitted from the State’s free dental and oral health services.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Aminu Tsanyawa, disclosed this on Friday, at the closing ceremony of the free dental outreach inaugurated on March 20, to mark World Oral Health Day.

He said that the exercise which began on March 20, had surpassed its 15,000 target beneficiaries across the state.

According to him, treatment of oral health cases is expensive and usually not part of universal health coverage. “Most low and middle-income countries like Nigeria are unable to provide services to prevent and treat oral health conditions,’’ he said. Tsanyawa pointed out that most oral health conditions were largely preventable and could be treated.

He said that the mouth was one of the main entry points for common diseases like diarrhea, vomiting, typhoid fever, and even COVID-19.

The commissioner explained that Kano had conducted massive oral health awareness activities across the state through a similar free outreach. He added that the beneficiaries were provided with interventions such as scaling and polishing, fillings and restoration as well partial denture and extraction. Others were also provided with dental health kits including toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, and mouth wash.

He said the two-week exercise also availed the beneficiaries opportunity to learn about oral health and good hygiene practices.

Kano State Government had on March 20,  embarked on a two-week free outreach in designated health facilities across the five Emirate Councils to mark the World Oral Day.