Betel nut worries PM

PRIME Minister James Marape has urged everyone to cut down on betel-nut chewing and the consumption of sugary food and beverages to reduce lip and oral cancer.
“Papua New Guinea holds the unfortunate distinction of having the highest global incidence of lip and oral cavity cancer, a trend strongly linked to betel-nut chewing,” he said.
“A prevalent issue is tooth decay among Papua New Guineans, exacerbated by the widespread consumption of sugary foods and beverages.”
Marape raised his concern during a visit to the Youth with a Mission (YWAM) dental programme in Port Moresby on Saturday.
He said the country lacked a comprehensive oral health policy in its health plan which should be urgently addressed.
“Discovering that PNG leads in lip and oral cavity cancer cases due to betel-nut chewing is deeply concerning,” Marape said.
“This habit not only jeopardises health but also contributes to the unsanitary condition of our cities and towns nationwide.
“It is equally distressing to acknowledge the widespread tooth decay crisis among our citizens, largely attributed to the consumption of sugary products.”
He admitted that there was a shortage of dentists and inadequate dental care infrastructure. He urged MPs to allocate funding for the establishment and enhancement of dental care facilities in their districts.
The YWAM School Dental Programme has been actively engaged with three schools in the National Capital District.
A total of 804 students underwent oral health screening, during which 1,629 dental procedures were performed.