Mt. Province sustains oral health program for school children

By Juliet B. Saley

Thursday 21st of June 2012

BONTOC, Mt. Province, June 21 (PIA) -- In support of the oral health care program of the Department of Education (DepEd), the provincial government here allocated P400,000 this year for the procurement of toothbrushes and toothpastes.

According to DepEd medical officer Dr. Dalome Peckley, the toothpastes and toothbrushes were distributed to the initial total enrollees of 24,444 kindergarten to Grade six pupils of its public school for the school year 2012-2013.

Peckley said that for the hand wash soap, the Division Office conducted a training on soap making to public school nurses, and they were able to produce liquid soap that they distributed to the different school districts, to be used by the kindergarten children and Grades 1 to 6 pupils.

Aside from the toothbrushes and toothpastes, the Bright Smile, Bright Future of Colgate Philippines also provided 5,265 toothbrushes and the same number of toothpastes in sachets for Grade 1 pupils of 180 public elementary schools, Peckley said.

The oral health program was first sponsored by the GTZ Foundation under its Essential Health Care Package, which was adopted in 16 FOURmula One provinces in the Philippines; Mt. Province is a member. The program was piloted in 35 public schools in the province for school year 2008-2009. The GTZ Foundation provided toothbrushes, fluoride, and hand soap to 6,500 pupils.

This program was sustained by the provincial government headed by then Governor Maximo Dalog, now the representative of the lone district of Mt. Province. The provincial government procured in 2009 toothbrushes, toothpastes, and soap for the school children in the day care to elementary schools.

For school year 2009-2010, the province provided for children in both public and private elementary schools. It has procured the same items for school year 2010-2011.

For school year 2011-2012, the provincial government has not allocated an amount for the program, but it continued its implementation since there were extra ones from the previous procurement. The Bright Smile, Bright Future and the Department of Health have also donated toothbrushes and toothpastes, which were distributed to the school children. (JDP/JBS-PIA CAR,Mt. Province)