THATTA, Dec 23: Dental equipment and relevant devices worth Rs20 million, installed by the dental section of the district health department, Oral Health Service Wing, were rusting due to official negligence here in Thatta district.

Sources told Dawn that a dental health section at Civil Hospital Makli, one of the 17 such sections established in the district, is not operating properly and the oral hygiene maintenance machinery, dental units etc. were rotting there.

These dental units established at the Civil Hospital in Makli, Taluka Hospital Mirpur Bathoro, Mirpur Sakro, Jati, Sujawal and rural health centres Gharo, Daro, Chuhar Jamali, Jangshahi, Jhampir, Baghan, Var and others have been of no benefit to the people of Thatta district, where the unskilled paramedics were treating patients and their quackery often whisk them to mysterious deaths, mostly after being infected by hepatitis-B and C and of HIV/Aids.

The only district dental focal person, who had been appointed five years ago to monitor the functioning of dental sections throughout the district, was not paying proper visits to the units but reportedly very prompt to arrive on the end of every month to draw his salary and meeting in camera with the EDO health, reliable source claimed.

A dental surgeon of grade-19 posted at dental section Gharo is serving in Karachi. Similar is the case of dental section at coastal town Jati.

For Mirpur Bathoro, two dental surgeons were posted there, and one is occasional to visit while the second is untraceable.

The entire network was laying idol and left at the mercy of unskilled staff.

According to an official survey conducted last year, 82 per cent children were infected with dental diseases in Thatta district because of the open sale of betel nut, gutka, Pan, Biri and mainpuri.

It maybe mentioned here that only 13 dental surgeons were entrusted at different health facilities while 51 health facilities of the district lack dental health services, besides only five dental clinics were operating in the private sector.

It has been gathered that oral sub mucous fibrosis was common disease, particularly in children. The growing consumption of betel leaf, betel nuts and their by-products, mainpuri, Gutka, tobacco containing pans, Biri and cigarette were the major cause of oral cancerous lesions and oral diseases amongst the population.

According to a survey, nine talukas of the district are having more than 9,000 ‘pan cabins’.