News archive 2008
Print versionOral health plans developed for underserved South African children
On 15 and 16 May, Professor Raman Bedi, Director of the Global Child Dental Taskforce (GCDHT) at the Dental Institute, jointly hosted, with the University of Western Cape, a dental capacity building workshop to develop strategic oral health plans for the South African provinces.Dr Johan Smit, Chief Dental Officer of South Africa, and Professor Bedi, who both co-chair the GCDHT_South African taskforce, offered their support as the Oral Health Managers of the nine provinces worked with the national Department of Health and professors of Dental Schools in South Africa on developing provincial Comprehensive Oral Health Service Plans. The meeting was facilitated by the WHO Collaborating Centre at the University of Western Cape which is also the beacon centre of the GCDHT_South Africa taskforce.
The operational plan of the Western Cape province is outlined in the document ‘Comprehensive Oral Health Service Plan for the Implementation of Health Care 2010’ which was developed in conjunction with the Dental School of the University of the Western Cape. A template of the document is being used by the other eight provinces and the two day workshop was held to support each province in writing their own version. As a result, prevention, evaluation and the taskforce project has been built into the funding applications.
Professor Bedi comments: ‘The support of the South African Ministry of Health has been influential. The request of the Director-General to each province to support the project was important and this has already resulted in extra funding from the provinces for oral health services. This is a significant step forward in dental health provision for South African children especially the poor black children. It is a credit to the GCDHT-South Africa taskforce who have been working collectively and supporting each other to obtain additional resources for underserved children.'
Dr Smit added: 'It was encouraging to see civil servants, professors of dental public health and provincial oral health managers working together to develop plans that will invariably help underserved children throughout the country. Everyone worked with great team spirit and we have captured a synergy that will make a significant difference to the dental agenda of this country. We are furthermore encouraged by the committed US$ 55 000 from the WHO to buy fissure sealants to seal first and second permanent molars, soon after eruption, on needy children, at specific identified schools.'
Professor Hanif Moola, Dean of the Dental School at the University of the Western Cape, said: 'Building dental public health capacity is important and has been a long term commitment of the University. We are grateful to Milners, Colgate and the Global Child Dental Fund for co-sponsoring this meeting.'
Notes to editors
The Global Child Dental Health Taskforce
The Strategic goals of the GCDHT are to develop dental leader’s programmes; create a global child dental learning network; and to expand the number of taskforces established in countries around the world. These strategies support three key aims: to develop Public Private Partnerships (PPP’s); to coordinate dental health services and educational programmes; and to promote evidence based oral health messages.
The Global Child Dental Health Taskforce was established in January 2006 after 40 senior dental advisors and chief dental officers called for its formation at a 2005 European Union Presidency meeting. A key part of its strategy is to build a global network of national taskforces headed up by local, leading senior dental and public health specialists who work together to spearhead drives to improve oral health by developing cutting edge preventive strategies. The initial network includes eight national taskforce members 0 Australia, Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Philippines, South Africa and the United States. Significantly those countries represent 50 % of the world’s child population which equates to over 1 billion children. The numbers of countries involved looks to expand during 2008.
For further information log on to:
www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/dentistry/research/gcdht
Posted on 25 June 2008
The operational plan of the Western Cape province is outlined in the document ‘Comprehensive Oral Health Service Plan for the Implementation of Health Care 2010’ which was developed in conjunction with the Dental School of the University of the Western Cape. A template of the document is being used by the other eight provinces and the two day workshop was held to support each province in writing their own version. As a result, prevention, evaluation and the taskforce project has been built into the funding applications.
Professor Bedi comments: ‘The support of the South African Ministry of Health has been influential. The request of the Director-General to each province to support the project was important and this has already resulted in extra funding from the provinces for oral health services. This is a significant step forward in dental health provision for South African children especially the poor black children. It is a credit to the GCDHT-South Africa taskforce who have been working collectively and supporting each other to obtain additional resources for underserved children.'
Dr Smit added: 'It was encouraging to see civil servants, professors of dental public health and provincial oral health managers working together to develop plans that will invariably help underserved children throughout the country. Everyone worked with great team spirit and we have captured a synergy that will make a significant difference to the dental agenda of this country. We are furthermore encouraged by the committed US$ 55 000 from the WHO to buy fissure sealants to seal first and second permanent molars, soon after eruption, on needy children, at specific identified schools.'
Professor Hanif Moola, Dean of the Dental School at the University of the Western Cape, said: 'Building dental public health capacity is important and has been a long term commitment of the University. We are grateful to Milners, Colgate and the Global Child Dental Fund for co-sponsoring this meeting.'
Notes to editors
The Global Child Dental Health Taskforce
The Strategic goals of the GCDHT are to develop dental leader’s programmes; create a global child dental learning network; and to expand the number of taskforces established in countries around the world. These strategies support three key aims: to develop Public Private Partnerships (PPP’s); to coordinate dental health services and educational programmes; and to promote evidence based oral health messages.
The Global Child Dental Health Taskforce was established in January 2006 after 40 senior dental advisors and chief dental officers called for its formation at a 2005 European Union Presidency meeting. A key part of its strategy is to build a global network of national taskforces headed up by local, leading senior dental and public health specialists who work together to spearhead drives to improve oral health by developing cutting edge preventive strategies. The initial network includes eight national taskforce members 0 Australia, Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Philippines, South Africa and the United States. Significantly those countries represent 50 % of the world’s child population which equates to over 1 billion children. The numbers of countries involved looks to expand during 2008.
For further information log on to:
www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/dentistry/research/gcdht
Posted on 25 June 2008