Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population launched on Sunday the Oral and Dental Health Initiative in six governorates as a first stage to detect and treat oral and gum diseases free of charge.
The initiative coincides with World Oral and Dental Health Day, which falls on March 20 of each year.
Hossam Abdel Ghaffar — the Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population — explained that the initiative was launched in the governorates of Cairo, Giza, Gharbeya, Alexandria, Qaliubiya, and Menoufiya as a first stage, noting that the initiative aims to examine and treat oral and gum diseases for all age groups according to the latest treatment protocols by applying the referral system.
He added that preliminary examination and detection services are provided in health units or through mobile dental caravans, pointing out that patients are referred to hospitals in the event they need advanced medical interventions.
For his part, Dr. Walid Hassan — the Head of the Central Dental Department at the Ministry of Health — stated that a medical team consisting of a doctor, a nurse, and a data entry person will be provided in all the initial units of the initiative to record patients’ data and health status and link them to an integrated and electronically interconnected database with referral hospitals.
Hassan noted that patients will be given a follow-up card to direct them to the hospital to perform the advanced and required medical interventions free of charge.
