Following on from the success of the initial pilot schools oral health programme in Uganda Dentaid seeks to replicate a similar scheme in Cameroon.

The aim of the programme is to educate children in oral health care with the end goal of combating poor oral health care in the schools and ultimately in the general population.

These pictures were taken in some of the five primary schools that will run the programme. They are typical primary schools in Cameroon. Most of the public schools both in urban and rural areas have dilapidated buildings and very poor facilities.

The children are from extremely poor homes and many have a very long journey just to reach school. Their parents cannot afford the tuition fees which are charged in private and mission schools where the level of education and the facilities are usually marginally better.  

An initial pilot will be run for a year involving five primary schools. The programme will start in mid September 2008, the start of the new academic year. After this initial trial it will become clear how well the programme is running and how easy it will be to     replicate it in more schools in the area. Dentaid will be partnering with the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board in order to run thsi programme.

The project will initially involve about 2000 primary school pupils. The schools involved will be three Cameroon Baptist mission primary schools, a Catholic mission school and a government School. The primary schools have primary one to six. The average age of the pupils ranges from five to 12.

There will be supervised daily tooth brushing, regular oral health education, basic dental care such as filling teeth using the ART technique and minor extractions. Oral health education lessons will be given to large groups of about 100 pupils.

There will be regular screening for each child. Any child needing treatment will either receive attention in the portable clinic in the school or if they are in need of something more complicated they will be referred to the local treatment centre. 

                                              A donation of £1000 will sponsor for one year:

Free screening and dental treatment for an entire school, by indigenous oral health workers using portable equipment, referring more complicated cases to the local CBC clinics.

Oral health education using culturally appropriate visual aids.

Toothpaste and a toothbrush for each child.

This donation will also be used for the management and monitoring of the programme and the identification and set up of school oral health programmes in other countries around the world.

In return for your generous donation you will receive:

A letter from the head teacher of your school

Background information on the school and the district

Photographs of the school

Pictures of the oral health programme being implemented

Acknowledgement of your support on Dentaid’s website

If you are interested in sponsoring a school in Cameroon pelase contact Nicky on 01794 325146 or nicky@dentaid.org.