Regional oral health strategy 2016–2025: addressing oral diseases as part of noncommunicable diseases: report of the Secretariat

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Oral health regional strategyAbstract
1. In the African Region, oral diseases are among the most common noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and may affect people throughout their lifetime, causing pain, disfigurement, social isolation, distress and even death. They share risk factors with the leading NCDs, including tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption and unhealthy diets high in sugar, all of which are increasing in the Region.2. Oral diseases have a negative social impact and adverse consequences on the quality of life of affected people, while their treatment places a considerable economic burden on individuals, communities and countries. Due to unequal distribution of oral health professionals and lack of appropriate facilities, most of the oral diseases remain untreated in the Region. Many countries have no national oral health policy and are facing a shortage of oral health-care workers.3. Despite efforts and commitments made at country level to implement effective interventions during the past decade, progress in addressing the burden of oral diseases in an equitable and integrated manner remains slower than expected. The global and regional momentum on NCDs provides a unique opportunity for countries to prioritize oral health so as to directly contribute to the reduction of NCDs and their shared risk factors.4. The proposed strategy focuses on four objectives and aims to achieve five oral health targets in realizing effective prevention and control of oral diseases in the WHO African Region. The document contains a set of priority actions that include enhancing advocacy, leadership and multisectoral action, reducing common risk factors, strengthening health systems, improving integrated oral health surveillance and measurement of progress, as well as conducting research related to oral diseases.5. The Regional Committee reviewed and adopted this strategy and the proposed actions.Citation
Regional Committee for Africa, 66. (2016). Regional oral health strategy 2016–2025: addressing oral diseases as part of noncommunicable diseases: report of the Secretariat. World Health Organization. Regional Office for Africa. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/250994