Health Ministry pledges to ensure equitable access to oral healthcare

Staff Reporter

THE Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Esther Muinjangue, recently pledged the ministry’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to oral health and Universal Health Care overall.

The Deputy Minister made these remarks at the official launch of the Oral Health Awareness Campaign, which took place in Rundu in the Kavango East Region, under the theme “Be proud of your mouth.”

“Oral health is often referred to as the “window to our overall health.” It is not merely about having a beautiful smile; it is rather a cornerstone of our health and quality of life. The state of our teeth and gums directly impacts our ability to eat, speak, and maintain our overall health,” she emphasized.

Despite this, she pointed out that oral health remains an area often overlooked, with many individuals unaware of its profound influence on our daily lives. She referred to it as a silent but significant health burden that affects countless lives, particularly marginalized groups. Muinjangue explained that the burden of oral diseases reflects significant inequalities, with marginalized populations disproportionately impacted.

She therefore emphasized that the accessibility of oral health itself hinges on Universal Health Coverage.

“In the context of Universal Health Coverage, we are saying that every Namibian, regardless of their socio-economic circumstance, should enjoy equitable access to oral health care,” she said.

However, she acknowledged that efforts are being made to address this gap in the health system. She highlighted the Kavango East Regional Directorate for Health and Social Welfare Services as one of the institutions that have taken various initiatives aimed at ensuring that the community of this region has access to oral health services.

“The biggest of such initiatives was being granted, as per their request, this state-of-the-art mobile dental clinic from National level, which the Directorate has been using to conduct outreach services even to the most remote areas like Ncaute,” she mentioned.

She also revealed that the Regional Directorate has been providing outreach oral health services to orphanages as well as to the two correctional facilities in the region, namely Divundu Correctional Facility and the Elizabeth Nepemba Correctional Facility. Additionally, she said that oral outreach services are also being rendered at Nyangana and Andara District Hospitals, with the Covid-19 Isolation Facility at Andara District Hospital having been repurposed to provide oral health services, which were initially offered at Shadikongoro Clinic.

“These are indeed commendable achievements in the past few months and I’m convinced that this vigour and creativity will continue as we strive to serve our people better,” she added.