High rate of lip and mouth cancer worrying: Sir Rabbie

THE state of dental health is enormously worrying because the country is rated the highest for the number of lip cancer cases and oral cavity per capita in the world, says Youth with a Mission (Ywam) patron Sir Rabbie Namaliu.
He made the remarks at the launching of the Ywam dental trailer that arrived in Port Moresby from Australia to provide dental services, training opportunities, and health and wellbeing education to schools in the National Capital District.
“Ywam has been saving lives, reducing child brutality and meeting a whole range of health needs in some of the most remote communities and their work for the last 13 years continues to reveal one particular aspect and that is oral health,” he said.
He said since Ywam was established in PNG, its team had seen more than 27,000 dental patients, mostly in the remote parts.
Sir Rabbie said in 2017, more than 4,000 students in rural schools had received dental screening through Ywams partnership with Colgate.
“Dental services is just a small start for one thing we know that PNG has one of the highest rates of mouth cancer caused by betel nuts.”
He urged stakeholders and partners to work together to meet all the challenges that arise from oral health and strengthen the dental workforce.