A collaboration of the Adamawa State Ministry of Health, the Federal Medical Center, the State Specialist Hospital, the Atiku Center, the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, the Natural & Environmental Science program, and the AUN Health Center brought free dental treatment to over 800 people in Adamawa State.
A majority of the beneficiaries are from the university community.
Provost Muhammadou Kah, who declared the Dental Health Care Outreach Program open on April 8 at the Health Center, told the team of over 15 dental specialists that AUN values collaboration and partnership.
“When you collaborate and partner, you double the impact or even have a greater impact in whatever the collaboration is.”
He added that the university recognizes that the well-being of its staff is critical to have a sound mind that can enhance productivity and efficiency in the workplace.
“Our effort continues to be to uplift everyone that comes into contact with this university. We also value the health of our learning community. This is an effort this university continues to make to uplift the quality of life of the citizens of the learning community.”
Associate Professor in the Natural & Environmental Program, Dr. Jennifer Tyndall, explained that two years ago, she did a research project with one of her students, Abdulrahman Bapullo, and realized the need for oral care in Adamawa State.
She noted that access to oral health care is limited to not only the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) but to most people in Adamawa regardless of their socio-economic status.
AVP Nourah Bamalli of HR & Planning said the University was proud of the partnership offering free dental services for up to 100 employees. “This is an excellent initiative and we hope it will go a long way in supporting our wellness program.”
The administrator of Grants & Contracts, Audu Liman, said the Federal Medical Center, the World Health Organization, and Unilever are sponsors of the program and gave free drugs, medical and other supplies.
The Chief Administrator of AUN Health Center, Philip Eappen, said the exercise would span a week starting at the university for the first two days and would be extended to the community with the help of all of the aforementioned health agencies, in conjunction with Dr. Albert Akhidenor from the Community Oral Health Initiative, a national non-governmental agency based in Abuja. Over 600 IDPs are being targeted.
Mr. Eappen added that there are two stages for the program: the first which is dental screening for the entire 100 employees and 100 young women from Chibok who are enrolled in the New Foundation School as well as the IDPs; and then the second which is in about two weeks, treatment for those who really need it.
The exercise had over 15 dental specialists volunteering for it. A volunteer, Dr. Hamman Mohammed Sani, from the Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, said he feels happy to be part of such an important project because it is a way to give back and touch people’s lives. “The mouth is the gateway to the body. If it is not healthy, then it means the whole body is not healthy.”
Reported by Omorogbe Omorogiuwa