Nais ni Deputy Speaker at Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar na malagyan ang lahat ng 2,597 rural health units sa bansa ng dental units.
Ito ay upang maisulong ang dental health at mapalakas ang oral health program ng Department of Health.
“This proposed legislation is being pushed to strengthen the national oral health program and protect Filipinos from declining oral health, which has been exacerbated by the (COVID-19) pandemic that limited the movements of people and immobilized seeking of immediate oral health attention,” ani Villar.
Ipinunto ng mambabatas na isang ‘silent epidemic’ ang oral health disease na lalo pang pinalala ng COVID-19 pandemic.
Tinukoy nito ang 2018 National Survey on Oral Health kung saan 72% ng mga Pilipino ang may sira sa ngipin habang 43% naman ang may sakit sa gums o gilagid.
Maliban dito, walo sa 10 kabataan ang sira ang ‘baby teeth’ na kung hindi agad matutugunan ay mauuwi sa mas malalang ‘periodontal diseases’.
“Dental health problems also affect the quality of lives of Filipinos due to the excruciating pain and discomfort associated with dental diseases, and often lead to skipping school or calling in sick to work,” dagdag ni Villar.
Sa inihain nitong House Bill 9343, isasama ang dental units sa Primary Health Care Approach sa lahat ng RHU at urban health center.
Magtatalaga ng isang public health dentist dito at isang barangay health worker na magsisilbing aide.
Mapapasailalim ito sa pamamahala ng DOH at isasama sa taunang pambansang pondo ang budget para sa operasyon nito. | ulat ni Kathleen Jean Forbes
📷: Philippine Information Agency
