The Health Ministry aims to ensure the full utilisation of its $154million budgetary allocation this financial year, with advocacy on oral health, says Assistant Health Minister Penioni Ravunawa.
He told last week’s Fiji Dental Conference in Nadi, a considerable amount of funding has been dedicated to the ministry.
“It is quite an amount that we at the Ministry of Health are in vision to try and plan well, also to implement the full utilisation of the budget,” Mr Ravunawa said.
“And oral health is part of it – we will try our best to raise the flag.
“It is your ministry and we will help where we can help, but it is you that must advocate on oral health issues and also plan on how we can impact the nation as a whole.”
Mr Ravunawa said water fluoridation was no longer active in the Suva-Nausori area with big articulated water systems, “but it’s something we can think about and reduce the number of dental caries among our people”.
He also commended the reinstatement of a Head of Oral Health, formerly known as National Oral Health Adviser.
“We are thankful for that.
“We’re hoping that with this position, there can be better collaboration with schools, collaboration with stakeholders like the Fiji Dental Association and also collaboration with the Government in the formulation of policies and in areas we can move forward together.”