ADRA launches oral health campaign among pupils

SOUTHERN PROVINCE HUYE — The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) has launched a dental health campaign among pupils in Ngoma District. The campaign is targeting the poor standards of oral and dental health. A team of heath officials last week conducted a dental check-up exercise that attracted over 200 pupils of Ngoma Adventist Primary School in Ngoma Sector. The one-week exercise was meant to raise awareness among pupils and their parents on the dangers of poor oral hygiene. According to Ismael Niyoruremu, a dentist from Gisenyi Hospital, 80 per cent of the children had dental cavities. Niyoruremu said that, “A majority of the children had developed cavities in their teeth and some had serious gum infections.” “These infections are mainly as a result of poor oral hygiene and poor feeding,” he added. During the one week campaign, children and their parents were tipped on how to take good care of their teeth to prevent dental diseases. Speaking during the closure of the campaign in Ngoma Sector last Friday, Pascal Karangwa, an official of ADRA said that it is the Church’s obligation to nourish both the body and soul. He said that ADRA’s intervention in the education sector is motivated by the need to supplement government’s efforts in a sector with over two million school going children. Karangwa said that ADRA intervenes in different other sectors like agriculture, health and relief campaigns. Children were given an assortment of items to help them keep oral and body hygiene. These included, tooth paste, tooth brushes, rolls of toilet tissue, bathing soap, de-worming tablets and mosquito nets to each child. The Ngoma Sector Executive Secretary, Annociatta Kambayire cautioned parents against selling the items but to rather put them to their intended use. ADRA, a non-profit non-governmental organisation operates under the Seventh Day Adventist Church. It started its activities in Rwanda in 1978 and operates in 125 countries. In Rwanda, ADRA supports primary and secondary students by providing funding for school fees, uniforms, medical insurance and school supplies. Ends