The Director of Personal Care at Unilever Ghana and Nigeria, Nana Yaa Kissi, says the ambition of the company is to help 10 million Ghanaian children to develop healthy oral habits by 2023 by reaching them with ‘The Brush Twice Daily’ campaign.
Madam Kissi made this statement as Ghana joined the rest of the world to celebrate World Oral Health Day. The day is celebrated to throw light on the benefits of healthy teeth and promote worldwide awareness on oral hygiene.
The theme for this year’s celebration was: ‘Act on Mouth Health.’ The event, organised by Pepsodent, produced by Unilever brought together schoolchildren within the Greater Accra region.
According to the Director, Unilever Ghana, through its Pepsodent brand, has over the years inspired the public to adopt good oral hygiene by brushing day and night to prevent teeth decay.
A member of the Ghana Dental Association, Dr Esi Afful, disclosed that a research conducted by Unilever revealed that six out of 10 children in the country have toothache which affects their schooling.
Dr Afful added that poor oral health damages children’s teeth, lowers their self-esteem and affect their performance in school.
The Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, who delivered the keynote address at the ceremony, called on parents to take oral hygiene more seriously as the government works to ensure total healthcare.
The schoolchildren used the occasion to sign a petition to the President to prioritise oral hygiene and healthcare delivery in the country.
World Oral Health Day is the largest global awareness campaign on the prevention and control of oral disease. The day is celebrated each year on 20th March after it was launched by World Dental Federation in 2007.
Source: Adom News/KODWO MENSAH ABOROAMPA