TIM eMagazine Volume 3 Issue 7 | Page 32

Health & Wellness Doh-Calabarzon Donates Dental Bus to Camp Capinpin Hospital D DOH CALABARZON Regional Oral Health Program Manager Dr Edwina I. Go with members of the 2nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army of Camp Capinpin headed by Lt Col. Mateo Modina (back) and Major Emmanuel Cuadra inspects the equipments installed inside the mobile dental bus donated to the Army Hospital of Camp Capinpin located in Tanay, Rizal during the turn-over ceremony held at the regional office on September 18, 2018 OH-CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) donated one dental bus to the Army Station Hospital of Camp Capinpin located in Barangay Sampaloc in Tanay, Rizal during the turn-over ceremony held at the regional office.  “We need more partners in the implementation of oral health care in the region, especially those providing outreach programs in far flung communities and we will continue to support all essential undertakings with regards to improving the health of our countrymen,” Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo stated.  Under the deed of donation between the Camp Capinpin Army Station Hospital and DOH, the armed forces will utilized the mobile dental bus in accordance with its purpose; ensure the availability of dentists and other health personnel, drugs, medicines and supplies, utilities and other operational expenses; ensure the rational use of the mobile dental clinic and maximize its benefit to the people needing quality dental care and services; ensure the proper maintenance, out of its own resources, of the said mobile dental clinic; and designate a focal person who will be coordinating with the Regional Office for purposes of program monitoring and evaluation.  The dental bus is well equipped with two dental chairs, dental bed, a basin (complete with faucet set-up), and compartments for medical equipment and medicines, dental tools and power inverter that will enable it to operate in powerless communities. The dental buses were acquired through the Health Facility Enhancement Program (HFEP) with the objective of addressing prevalence of dental diseases in the country by providing mobile dental clinics with equipment to provinces and other local government units (LGUs) to ensure the accessibility of quality dental health services to all Filipino citizens, especially those who are underprivileged. According to the 2011 National Monitoring and Evaluation Dental Survey (NMEDS) conducted by DOH, majority (87%) or 83 million of Filipinos suffer from tooth decay. “7 out 10 have never visited a dentist during their lifetime”.   The survey also reported the shortage of oral care among children. It revealed that 98% of children aged 3 to 5 have dental caries or cavities and also 20% of pre-school children have never been to a dentist. “These concerns can be prevented through proper information and services that can be made available and more accessible to those who are not aware of how important oral health is”, Janairo emphasized. “The primary objective is to preserve the natural teeth among children for as long as possible, stop the progress of the disease DOH CALABARZON Regional Oral Health Program Manager Dr Edwina I. Go that causes cavities, and provide proper information to the target hands over the ceremonial key to the DOH Mobile Dental Bus to Lt Col. Mateo population to ensure they can keep their teeth healthy during Modina, of the 2nd Infantry Division, Philippine Army and a member of the their lifetime,” he stressed. medical Corps  of the Army Hospital of Camp Capinpin located in Tanay, Rizal One mobile dental bus was also donated to the Lone District during the turn-over ceremony held at the regional office on September 18, 2018 of Binan in Laguna on May 8, 2018. www.ro4a.doh.gov.ph 32