HGC delivers Oral Health Clinic to Rural Village

by Saliu Saheed Olumide

After roaming around to find the most suitable village to carry out the campaign project, I eventually opted to settle for an impoverished local Almajiri school in Maikunkele, Bosso local government of Niger-state. This decision was made because of many reasons; the most important is that these children (all boys, from the age of 5 to 18 sometimes) in this school have been weaned from their parents since they are little and left for destitution and despair. They lack a total knowledge of personal hygiene not to talk of a proper health routine.

Upon enquires, I was told that they were 50 in numbers (This was false, on the day of the campaign, 62 students were present). Supplies like toothpastes, toothbrushes and and three big litres of mouth washes and facemasks, all in 50 units, except for the mouth washes which was just three was procured, iodine, antibiotics and vitamins were also gotten. The campaign was slated for the next day.

On the day of the campaign. The service of a dentist and two local government community health workers were used, while I served only as the camera man. The dentist took the student on a lecture of oral Hygiene and how they can achieve maximum oral health with the little means that they have. While the health workers tended to their wounds and gave them some antibiotics and vitamins. All of these was followed by a demonstration on how to properly cleaned their teeth and the campaign was brought to a close.

The mallams (tutors) of the students were extremely happy for the initiative that they gladly took pictures and they beg that such initiatives shouldn't be the last one. They are sure their students will benefit from such novel projects.