21 Jun 2018

Though oral health is an important component of overall wellness, it is still neglected, Ghanzi Primary Hospital’s principal nursing officer Ms Gositang Venson has said.

Speaking during Ghanzi District Health Management Team (DHMT) open day on June 20, Ms Gositang Venson said people tended to be concerned about oral health only when in pain due to tooth decay and cavities.

Poor oral health could lead to serious complications which could be costly to treat, she warned.

Ms Venson therefore emphasised regular dental care which would go a long way towards decreasing risks of serious health problems and was cost effective.

She challenged individuals to practice good oral hygiene and to visit dental health facilities regularly.

On a separate health issue, she encouraged females to undergo regular cervical screening.

Another speaker, Ghanzi District Council deputy chairperson Mr Shadrack Modisane gave an overview of the state of health and related issues in the district.

He said TB remained persistent in the Ghanzi community despite all efforts such as improved case detection and patient support services.

Noting that Ghanzi was leading in TB countrywide, he said the area recorded 175 cases in 2017.

He said the local DHMT staff was trying by all means to eliminate the disease but were let down by  patients defaulting on treatment.Mr Modisane also said transport challenges made it difficult for them to reach the population on the farms.

The increase of malnutrition cases, especially for the under fives, was another challenge in the district, he said.

He pointed out that in 2017,  malnutrition rate soared to 13 per cent and currently stood at 11.1 per cent against a target of 3 per cent.

Mr Modisane said efforts to curb malnutrition through the provision of food rations were ongoing.

He said the trend by some parents who failed to take under-fives for monthly check-ups also contributed to the high statistics of malnutrition cases.

Concerning the HIV Treat All initiative which had been rolled out to all health facilities in Ghanzi, he said it was a step in the right direction as it gave people an opportunity to access reatment at an early stage.

However, he said behavioural change was still a challenge as people still indulged in activities that exposed them to infections such as alcohol and drug abuse, multiple concurrent partnerships and unprotected sex.

On another issue, he said the Ghanzi region was experiencing shortage of drugs explaining that in May overall availability stood at 78.8 per cent, that of vital drugs at 69.4 per cent, essential and necessary at 69.2 and 74.6 per cent respectively.

Mr Modisane said failure by some suppliers to deliver sufficient quantities as ordered by Central Medical Stores accounted for the shortage. ENDS