The head of the Oral Health Division at Senegal’s Ministry of Health and Social Action, Codou Badiane, Thursday lamented the shortage of dentists to cover the whole country.
“We need a minimum of 35 dentists to ensure a good distribution of dental services across the country. In addition, there are equipment needs, including 76 dental chairs, 17 panoramic X-ray machines, and 47 autoclaves,” Dr. Codou Badiane was quoted as saying by the Senegalese
Press Agency.
She was speaking during events marking International Oral Health Day, under the theme: “A Happy Mouth, a Happy Mind.”
In her speech, the head of the Ministry of Health provided an overview of oral health in Senegal, highlighting current challenges and future prospects. She noted that three referral health centers do not yet have dental services and that the country has only 16 dental prosthesis laboratories.
As for human resources, Senegal has 562 oral health specialists, including 329 in the private sector and 233 in the public sector. Of these, 383 practice in Dakar, Dr. Badiane said.
She also pointed out that the country has 79 dental surgery technicians, including 26 specialized in dental prosthesis, with 34 working in the private sector.
Faced with the increase in oral trauma caused by road accidents, particularly in areas with heavy traffic of Jakarta tricycles, Dr. Codou Badiane called for improving the quality of dental care throughout Senegal.
TE/Sf/fss/as/APA