Ghana needs dental health policy – Andani

Mr Alhassan Andani, Managing Director of Stanbic Bank, has appealed to the Ghana Dental Association (GDA) to lead the crusade for a comprehensive national dental policy to ensure fair geographical distribution of dentistry practice.

He was not happy dental service is skewed to Accra, Kumasi and few other towns in the South to the detriment of the northern regions and said that would have to change.

He was speaking at the opening of the 2013 annual general conference of the Association in Kumasi on Friday.

He noted that oral health was not only important to the general health system but the self esteem of the people and therefore urged the Association to deepen its advocacy role to create the needed awareness.

Mr Andani, who is also the Board Chairman of the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), advised dentists, desirous of setting up in any part of the SADA Zone to contact the board for possible assistance.

Mr Eric Opoku, Ashanti Regional Minister, in an address read for him, called for concerted effort to bring down road crashes, which is not only a health problem but a socio-economic burden.

Dr Gilbert Ankrah, President of GDA, decried the absence of dental clinics in many of the districts. Out of the 240 districts, only 40 have functional dental clinics.

He said they would welcome public-private partnership that would aid their members to go into private practice in any part of the country.

Baffour Osei Hyeaman Brantuo VI, the Asantehene’s Manwerehene, asked dental practitioners to always check the blood pressure levels of their clients to help reduce cerebro-vascular accidents, claiming the lives of many.

Source: GNA