SARIKEI: All government dental clinics in the state are providing daily outpatient services this year.
Assistant Public Health Minister Datuk Dr Jerip Susil said this is a tremendous improvement compared to just 19 per cent in 2011.
“This remarkable achievement in terms of specialist services is due to the availability of more dental specialist clinics in different disciplines in the state now,” he said when launching the state Health Department’s fifth anniversary for the Pinnacle 2020 Masterplan yesterday.
There are currently 30 government dental clinics operating in various districts throughout the state.
Dr Jerip said oral healthcare services were also extended to areas yet to have dental clinics through outreach programmes, which have grown in number, frequency and duration.
The services were also extended to remote areas through National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS) programmes, he added.
Dr Jerip highlighted an outreach programme under the government’s Transformation Programme for the Penan community in Miri, Bintulu, Limbang and Kapit divisions.
He noted that staff involved in the programme carried out their jobs efficiently despite encountering the challenges of rough geographical terrain and the absence of basic amenities such as water and electricity.
Meanwhile, he said oral healthcare services for preschool and primary school children had also improved greatly.
The percentage of preschoolers receiving oral healthcare increased from 53.7 per cent in 2004 to 89 percent last year, while for primary school pupils the rate increase from 91.7 per cent in 2004 to 96.2 per cent last year.-Borneo Post
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