South Africa: The Free state Department of Health has teamed up with Colgate South Africa to reach out to young children to sensitize them on oral hygiene. The National Department of Health hosted the sensitization exercise in collaboration with the Provincial Departments of Health and Education.
Another organization that partnered with the organization are the South African Military Health Service. All the free state organizations embarked on an Outreach programme for Oral Health/Hygiene with support from Colgate.
The officials have shared that the members of the community should be given the chance and opportunity instruct their childrn about the importance of oral hygiene from an early age. The officials have shared that several communities were targeted as a part of the exercise.
The organization has shared several images from the event on their social media accounts. The officials have shared that they had the support of several stakeholders and supporters. The officials have shared that the initiative was carried out by several teams of healthcare stakeholders.
The teams consisted of dentists, dental assistants, oral hygienists, dieticians and social workers. These stakeholders went out to selected Early Childhood Development Centres (ECD) and schools around Bloemfontein. The aim of the visit was to reinforce and demonstrate oral hygiene to school learners in grades R-3.
The officials and healthcare stakeholders want to make sure that the young children cultivate good habits from early childhood. The overall hygiene of the children is not only the responsibility of the parents but also that of the wider community.
As such, the National Department of Health, South African Military Health Service Free State Provincial Departments of Health and Education organized several demonstrations. They showed the children the importance of handwashing, teethbrushing, nutrition and healthy eating.
They held demonstrations on oral health education and promotion with the children in attendance. Mobile trucks were readily available for learners who needed treatment and those learners were previously screened before treatment could be administered.