Children of provincial capitol employees benefited from dental immunization conducted by the Provincial Health Office (PHO) in cooperation with the Diosdado Macapagal Memorial Hospital (DMMH) and dentists from various municipalities.
Dr. Antonio Aquino, head of the PHO, said that the activity is part of the provincial governments’ total health program for its constituents, as he welcomed the children and their parents to the activity held at the Benigno Aquino Hall inside the capitol compound.
Dr. Eddie Ponio, administrator of the DMMH, disclosed that the dental health program was conceptualized upon the urging of Gov. Lilia G. Pineda who ordered the closer coordination between the PHO, DMMH and other concerned parties to strengthen the children’s resistance against oral diseases.
“Nalaman ng ating governor na 92 percent ng mga batang Filipino ay may tooth decay, kaya inatasan niya tayong palakasin ang pag-aalaga sa ngipin ng mga bata dito sa Pampanga,” Ponio said.
He shared results of studies in 2004 and 2011 which showed that there was a slight lowering of statistics on dental health problems in the country during that period.
However, he also cited statistics on the national level stating that the Philippines is second to Papua, New Guinea in the prevalence of oral cavity among children.
The same study also reported that toothache is a common ailment among school children and is the primary cause of absenteeism from school.
In an audio-visual presentation shown by Ponio, it was learned that 97 percent of systemic diseases, such as hepatitis and heart ailment, the portal of entry is through oral cavity, thus, the need to prevent such cases among children, even adults.
Provincial Board Members Monina Laus and Teresito Lingad, chair and vice chair, respectively, of the committee on health, graced the activity. In her message, Laus encouraged mothers to take care of their children’s health, including dental health.
“Binibigyan ng pamahalaang panlalawigan ng pag-aalagang tulad ng dental health immunization ang mga anak natin, sa abot ng makakaya nito.”
On hand to provide the dental check up and immunization services to the children were municipal dentists from several towns and they were led by Dr. Jocelyn Ponio, provincial dental supervisor.
Parents and guardians were free to ask questions of the dental team who instructed them to allow the children to drink and eat 30 minutes after the application of the medication, “except for malagkit, or sticky food”, and brush their teeth only the day after, to ensure that the medication stays longer in their gums.
The PHO head ascertained that the provincial government will religiously implement the national government’s orders relative to dental health, as it is the governor’s desire for children in the province to attain better dental health status. (Eloisa P. Galang, PIO Pampanga)
