Health officials have launched an oral health outreach in the Lango sub-region aimed at expanding access to dental services and raising awareness about oral hygiene ahead of the commemoration of World Oral Health Day.
The initiative, organised by the Ministry of Health Uganda in partnership with Lira Regional Referral Hospital, began at Lira Main Prison, where inmates received free dental screening, treatment and oral hygiene kits.
Health experts say oral diseases remain among the most common but often neglected health conditions in Uganda, affecting more than half of the adult population. The outreach forms part of activities leading to the regional celebration of World Oral Health Day scheduled for April 10 in Lira City.
Speaking during the launch of the activity, Acting Director of Lira Regional Referral Hospital, Dr. Andrew Odur, said the outreach is intended to bring oral health services closer to communities that often lack access to dental care.
“We felt it was important to reach out to the communities within the Lango sub-region as we prepare for the celebrations. The inmates here also deserve access to oral health services just like the rest of the population,” Dr Odur said.
He noted that oral health conditions remain a significant public health concern, with about 60 percent of adults experiencing some form of oral health problem, while nearly one percent develop oral cancers affecting the mouth and dental system.
During the outreach, dental teams are providing oral health education, screening for dental diseases, tooth extractions and referrals for complicated cases requiring specialised care at higher health facilities.
According to Dr. Mubangizi Gilvas, Principal Dental Surgeon at the Ministry of Health, dental diseases such as cavities remain among the most common non-communicable diseases in the country.
“In Uganda, dental caries affect about 66 percent of adults and between 35 and 40 percent of children aged one to nine years. That is why we use this opportunity to bring services closer to communities and create awareness on prevention,” he said.
At Lira Main Prison, prison authorities welcomed the outreach, saying dental services remain a major gap in prison health facilities. Officer in Charge of the prison, Brenda Abaasa, said the facility currently holds more than 900 inmates, many of whom require specialised medical care.
“Bringing health services to this unit helps us achieve our objective of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of inmates in our custody. We appreciate the partners who have chosen this place to benefit from these services,” Abaasa said.
Maureen Nambi, the officer in charge of Lira Government Prison, Female Wing said the prison health centre operates at Health Centre II level and does not offer dental services, which makes managing dental cases difficult.
“We often receive inmates with serious dental conditions, yet our health centre does not have dental services. This outreach is very important because it helps treat cases that we have been struggling to manage,” Nambi said.
Health officials say the regional outreach is expected to benefit more than 1,000 people across the Lango sub-region before culminating in the main World Oral Health Day celebrations in Lira City.