ANGARA: PROVIDE DENTAL UNIT IN EACH RURAL HEALTH CENTER

Senator Edgardo J. Angara is urging the Senate to legislate for the creation of a dental unit in all rural health centers in the country to address ailing oral health of many Filipinos, especially the children.

"The Constitution mandates the people's right to proper health and to undertake appropriate health development programs responsive to the country's needs and problems. At present, however, the lack of proper dental health practices of the general population continues to be a national concern," says Angara.

Many in the country suffer from tooth decay and gum diseases. Angara reminds, "Tooth decay affects 96% of our urban children and 87% of those in the rural areas. The magnitude of the dental problem is reflected in its being the highest in the morbidity picture of the country. In economic terms, every tooth affected means the loss of productivity of two days, lost opportunities, recurring pain and severe discomfort as well as increased cost of dental treatments."

Senate Bill 865 proposes the provision of a dental health care unit in each of the 2,299 rural health centers of the country as part of the human resource development to meet the needs of the Primary Health Care strategy in the delivery of health services.

At present, there are only 881 rural health dentists in plantilla of the Department of Health distributed in the twelve regions. By providing for one dentist position in each of the 2,299 rural health units under the Department of Health, the priority targets of dental health services will be adequately served. Priority targets are pre-school children, school children, pregnant and non-pregnant mothers.

"It may cost more in their services, but the benefits will be tremendous. More children, mothers and adults can be properly attended to. With a dentist at every rural health unit, the ratio of dentists to the population will approach the standard ratio of 1:20,000 population, similar to that of physicians," Angara concedes.