KARACHI: Chapter on dental care in textbooks pledged: Ibad opens international moot
By Habib Khan Ghori
KARACHI, Feb 23: The government will make sure that the primary school books contained some lessons on dental care and health care so that children of different age groups could benefit from expert opinion in this respect.
This was stated by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad on Thursday while formally inaugurating the 28th Asia-Pacific Dental Congress (APDC), a mega international event being held for the first time in the country’s history, at the Governor’s House.
The congress is being attended by 500 foreign delegates representing 50 countries, besides 3,000 Pakistani professionals.
The congress will hold its working sessions over the next three days at the Expo-Centre.
President-elect of the APDC Dr Muawin Hussain was presented insignia of the Association by APDF President Dr Nagarajan.
Speaking on the occasion, the governor said he agreed with the dental community that the ministry of health should include dental health instructions in the package for the health workers responsible for community health.
Dr Ibad also endorsed a suggestion, given by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, for the introduction of a separate and independent organization, Pakistan Dental Council, and Pakistan Dental Act. However, he said, being a federal subject, he could make necessary recommendations for the same. He asked the provincial health minister and health secretary to look into the matter.
He assuring Mr Arif Alvi, Chairman of the Congress, of due consideration by the government to the request for allotment of land for the Dental Surgeons Housing Society. He hoped that the delegates coming from all parts of the world would be sharing their knowledge and experience during the moot.
The governor appreciated the spirit behind the ‘Dental Mela’, organized at the congress as a public health education venture, and the holding of a ‘dental health walk’, saying that such conferences usually did not succeed fully to develop a close relationship with people. But in this case, he noted, the organizers had established a wavelength with the end users of knowledge.
Earlier, Mr Alvi welcomed the delegates and highlighted the importance of oral health issues. He said that there were two dental diseases which account for 95 per cent of the dental problems. Both the diseases are 100 per cent curable provided the teeth are brushed properly and regularly and consumption of pan, supari, etc. is avoided. According to him, proper care may give teeth a life of over 100 years.
Dr Oliver Hennedige, Secretary General of the APDF, introduced the foreign delegates.
Other speakers at the congress included Health Secretary Dr Naushad A. Shaikh, Dr Muawin Hussain, Dr Nagarajan and Dr Waheedul Hameed.
WALK: Secretary of Health Prof Noshad A. Shaikh on Thursday emphasized on creating awareness among general public to prevent dental diseases and said government was also focusing on prevention beside providing treatment facilities, adds PPI.
He was speaking to participants of dental awareness walk, organized as part of 28th Asia-Pacific Dental Congress. the walk started from the National Coaching Centre and culminated at Karachi Expo Centre.
The walk was also attended by a large number of students of Liaquat College of Medicine and Dentistry, Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Fatima Jinnah Dental College, Karachi Medical and Dental College and Metropolitan Academy, besides local and international participants of the congress.
The participants were holding placards inscribed with slogans urging general public to stop use of pan, gutka to save their teeth.
Prof Noshad Shaikh said that now focus was shifted on prevention rather treatment of dental diseases worldwide, but unfortunately, here stress was put on treatment of diseases. Treatment facilities for dental diseases are not available everywhere in the country, so it is better to emphasize on their prevention, he urged.
Dr Arif Alvi and Dr Ali Farhan Razi also spoke. Dr Mehmood Shah, Dr Feroz Jahangir, Dr Aizaz Khan and Dr Ahmed Bari were also present in the walk.
