The Orile-Agege General Hospital (OAGH) will capture 10,000 student’s in Education 1 district, to ensure “No Child is Left Out” in the ‘School Oral Health Programme’.
Dr. Sola Pitan, Managing Director, OAGH, said this at the maiden edition of the programme at the Lagos Baptist Senior Secondary School and Lagos Baptist Senior College on Thursday.
Pitan said organising the programme is a decision taken by the hospital management at its strategic management retreat in November 2021 to engage in healthcare programmes and take them to the communities.
“This Programme is solely organised for you, our future leaders. We want your future to be bright, healthy, successful and for you to have and enjoy good oral healthcare system.
“Our intention is to ensure that we get up to 10,000 students, starting from the two schools here, we would screened 2,200 students and we extend the programme to other schools in Education district 1.
“It’s a way of affecting the society positively. Today, I am privileged to be talking to future leaders, when you become adults and leaders, start thinking of what you can do for your community,” he said.
Pitan said the students would share the information, what they learnt on oral health and how they were screened.
He advised the students to take care of their teeth.
Also, Dr. Faminu Edward, the Director, Dental Services, Lagos State Dental Services and Health Service Commission, advised the students to brush their teeth twice daily.
Edward said it is important to visit the dentist to have a check every six months and not to wait until they have issues in their mouth before going to the hospital.
He said mouth odour could be as a result of oral or systematic factor.
“Unpleasant mouth odour can be as a result big whole in the teeth that stores particles of food,” he said.
According to him, the systematic factor transcends the oral cavity, which is beyond what the dentist can treat. “In such cases, we refer them to the hospital for thorough medical examination and management.”
Also, Mrs Margaret Solarin, Permanent Secretary/Tutor, General Education District 1, applauded Pitan and the management of OAGH for the initiative.
She described the programme as first of its kind in the Education district.
According to her, “this is the caliber of people we want in government who can make the best use of their position to affect lives and reach out to the communities.
“I am very glad to be part of this great Programme. This is the first time we are having this kind of event in this district, that is how government should be ran,” she said.
Solarin said OAGH had set a good place and urged other 28 General Hospitals across the state to follow suit to create an enabling environment for students in other Education districts to benefit.
About 200 students of the Lagos Baptist Senior Secondary School and Lagos Baptist Senior College, were present at the programme.
