CHAIRMAN : Oral Health Self Care Project (1991)

Oral Health Self Care Project known as ‘MUSKATE DAANT’, i.e. ‘Smiling Teeth’ of the “Appropriate Health Resources & Technologies Action Group” – {AHRTAG}, London was initiated in response to rising dental health problems of municipal school children having limited resources to tackle them.  The project was aimed at improving health through preventive approach, with emphasis on health rather than disease.

 

A unique project based on WHO’s primary health-care approach, is a school-based, curriculum-oriented health education programme devoted to the concepts of SELF CARE and SELF ESTEEM (OHSEC) in children and seeks to enable them to assume greater control of their oral health problems, through action-oriented and participative learning techniques.  OHSEC received international recognition and awards and generated interest in India and abroad for developing similar programmes.  It led to a 4-year pilot study in 30 selected primary schools.  It developed three modules of health education with emphasis   on improving teacher’s confidence, competence and skills in teaching health-related subjects and improving pupils’ health through improved self-care.  The modules helped children explore and imbibe health concepts through appropriate activities. The project was widely evaluated both on-line and by a team of external evaluators sponsored by British Overseas Development Administration which funded the programme supported by ‘Appropriate Health Resources & Technologies Action Group’ AHRTAG – a voluntary organization based in London.

 

The OHSEC experience concluded that  participatory health education with no clinical intervention is capable of improving the health of children,  significantly. Participatory health education as offered in OHSEC can  be  enjoyable,  stimulating and rewarding to both the teachers and the pupils.  Sustained reduction in disease levels and healthy maintenance are likely if such programmes are integrated into the curriculum and continued into higher classes.