Malaysia To Showcase Achievements In Oral Health At Bangkok GOHM

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s vision of integrating oral health into the country’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) framework is one of the topics that will be highlighted at the inaugural four-day Global Oral Health Meeting (GOHM) 2024, which began in Bangkok today.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said Malaysia will also showcase its significant achievements in oral health, including the implementation of the National Oral Health Policy and National Oral Health Strategic Plan 2022-2030 and the Strategic Plan to Reduce Sugar among Malaysians 2024-2030.

“Programmes like the School Dental Clinic, which provides access to dental services to teachers, support staff and their families, as well as collaboration with the private sector and non-governmental organisations to assist marginalised groups, will also be showcased,” the MOH said in a statement today.

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The 2024 Global Oral Health Meeting, organised by the World Health Organization (WHO), brings together representatives from over 100 countries, including health ministers, national oral health leaders, United Nations (UN) agencies, civil society organisations and international experts to strengthen global commitment to achieving UHC for oral health by 2030.

The meeting is also an important step in the process of preparing for the 4th UN High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) 2025, besides strengthening national healthcare systems to fulfil commitments under the 2021 World Health Assembly (WHA74.5) resolutions and accelerating the implementation of the Global Oral Health Action Plan (GOHAP) 2023-2030.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan will represent Malaysia in a summit discussion titled “From Bangkok to New York: Advancing Oral Health in Countries and for the 4th UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs 2025.

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In addition, Dr Noormi Othman, the Health deputy director-general for Oral Health Programme, will also present Malaysia’s perspectives on governance, leadership and financing in oral health.

The MOH said that Malaysia’s participation in the meeting emphasises its leadership role in advancing oral health at regional and global levels and that it remains committed to expanding dental services in primary healthcare facilities from 55 per cent in 2023 to 80 per cent by 2030.

This is aimed at improving access, especially for vulnerable and marginalised people, to dental services without financial difficulties and strengthening the network of cooperation, advocacy and policy innovation to achieve sustainable oral health for all by 2030.

The endorsement of the ‘Bangkok Declaration: Towards UHC for Oral Health by 2030’ during the meeting also marks a significant achievement in efforts to integrate oral health into the prevention and management of NCDs as well as strengthening primary healthcare systems.

Oral diseases, which affect 3.5 billion people worldwide, remain a significant but often neglected component in global health systems.

-- BERNAMA