As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility programme and in partnership with the Ghana Education Service, Ghana Dental Association and the Ministry of Health, Unilever Ghana has launched the 2016 World Oral Health Day at a ceremony in Accra.
The event, which is scheduled to be celebrated in Ghana on March 18, is aimed at rolling out a series of events to enhance public awareness about the need for improved oral health and hygienic behaviour especially among children and adolescents in the country.
Speaking at the function, the Oral Care Marketing Manager of Unilever Ghana, Patience Oforiwaa Mpereh said the 2016 celebration is focused on building on the successes of the previous celebrations of the World Oral Health Day. “This year, we are looking to go even further, reaching more children and instilling in our future leaders the habits that will help secure their bright futures today.”
She indicated, “It is the mandate of the company to work hard to safeguard the physical wellbeing of school children to complement the efforts of schools and homes in their quest to build the minds and characters of these future leaders. We must equally safeguard their physical wellbeing as well, hence the theme of this year’s World Oral Health Day celebrations, ‘It all starts here. Healthy mouth. Healthy Body’.”
She further urged patrons to brush twice daily since it forms the basis of Pepsodent’s ongoing Brush Day and Night campaign that aims to create good oral care habits in children and parents. Since its inception in 1995, the campaign has reached approximately 7,000,000 school children in Ghana.
There will be essay competitions, dental checks for school children and sustained sensitisation programmes in selected market places and communities to mark the celebrations. Children in selected schools in the country will also be trained as ambassadors to encourage good oral hygiene in the homes.
World Oral Health Day (WOHD) is an international day, celebrated every year across the globe to amplify the benefits of a healthy mouth and to promote worldwide awareness of the issues around oral health. – ModernGhana
