Twenty countries and areas across the WHO Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions have committed to strengthening essential oral health benefits through a 100-Day Sprint designed to accelerate integration of oral health into universal health coverage.
The initiative was reviewed at the 16th Asian Chief Dental Officers Meeting in Malaysia, where participating countries assessed barriers in service delivery, workforce capacity, access to medicines and health products, and health financing.
WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala said: “There is no health without oral health.”
Countries will continue refining and costing national oral health benefit packages during the remainder of the 100-day programme. WHO said the work supports its Global Strategy and Action Plan on Oral Health 2023-2030 and is intended to expand access to preventive and essential oral health services through primary health care.
