Port Blair, Oct. 21: In appreciation of the contribution and dedicated service in National Oral Health Programme, mementos from Rotary club of Port Blair was given away to all Dentists who contributed for the programme held across the islands. The dentists were felicitated at a function organised at Fortunes Resort, Bay Island by the Rotary Club of Port Blair, wherein Dr. S. K. Paul, Director of Health Service, A&N Administration was the chief guest.

Dr. Paul addressing the gathering appreciated the work done by Rotary club and said, “It is a great day to involve with the Rotary, and said from 1st of November Ghutkha products will be banned in A&N Islands. It is a welcome step. Since Oral cancer is a dreaded disease and people generally neglect oral health, he said teeth are an important asset to general health, which not only helps in mastication but also aesthetics”.

The DHS further said that Dentists in these islands are very helpful and considerate than the mainland counter parts and assured wholehearted support to the club, be it logistics/ doctors for any programme regarding public health.

It has been the avowed goal of IDA (Indian Dental Association) to attain optimal oral health for all and the National Oral Health Programme (NOHP) is born out of IDA’s (Indian Dental Association) commitment to dental excellence. NOHP was conducted in remote islands like Car Nicobar, Kamorta (tribal areas) Campbell Bay and other areas like Rangat, Mayabunder & Diglipur. These areas were chosen as poor accessibility acted as barriers to oral care.

Dental check up was done by Dr. P.Manoj and Dr Sanjeev Jaichand at Delanipur School and they examined 151 students. Dr. Vinod, Dr. Rashmi Nair and Dr. P. Ravi Kumar examined 155 students at Middle School Junglighat. Dr. Poonam Arora & Dr. Shanti Vijayakumar examined 45 students at GSS Dugnabad. In Rangat Dr. Rachana Sanjeev Lal examined 165 students at Govt Sr. Sec School. At Mayabunder Dr. Tripti Saha examined 284 students at Govt Secondary School. In Diglipur Dr. Shalini Tiwari examined 180 students at Govt. Model Sr. Secondary school.

In Car Nicobar Dr. Maxim Thomas, examined 44 students at Middle school Tamaloo. In Kamorta at govt model school Dr. Ruth Christofer, examined 76 students. In Campbell Bay Govt Sr. Sec. school Dr. Jharna Rao examined 208 students, and in Govt Girls Sr. Secondary School, Port Blair, Dr Sheela Kumari & Dr. Dinesh, examined 176 students on 4th August 2012. The ‘National Oral Health Programme’ in schools was jointly organised by IDA, Andaman Nicobar State branch in association with Directorate of Health Services, Directorate of Education, Inner wheel club and Rotary club of Port Blair.

Speaking on the occasion Dr. Poonam Arora, President IDA & Inner Wheel club said this is for the first time a total of 1,484 students were examined on a single day throughout A&N Islands by the Dental Surgeons to enhance the oral health status as a part of the social commitment. She announced as a part of Oral Health month, IDA will be doing two projects one is from 5th of November to 10th November. The first is Oral Submucous Fibrosis detection week at all private clinics in Port Blair for the designated one hour to detect cases and the other project will be a Dental check up camp at Neil Island on 25th November for the benefit of the public.

She also mentioned that IDA identified Master Sajay Das differently able child suffering from generalised oral disease due to radiation therapy given to him in 2006 for brain tumour and helped him to do his oral treatment at Apollo Chennai under Dr. Kartiken, Dr. Ajay and Head of Deptt. of Neurology, Dr. Balamurugan. This was the first project they conducted in the month of may 2012.

On the occasion Rtn. Abihijit Aggarwal of Rotary club of Port Blair welcomed the gathering, while the meeting was chaired by Rtn. Girish Arora, President, Rotary Club of Port Blair. Rtn Kaushik Banerjee, members of Rotary Club and dentists working in Govt service as well as private practitioners were present on the occasion.