EVALUATION AND SUPPLY OF ORAL CARE SERVICES IN THE HEALTH DISTRICT OF MBANGA, CAMEROON

Esther Marguerite Chase DJANGA; Therese Mbezele Essomba; Vanina Doris Edo’o; Jules Julien Ndjoh; Jim Nemy Herve; Tatiana Mossus u Etouno; Haamit Mahammat Abba-Kabir; Marie-Jose Essi

doi:10.22270/ujpr.v7i2.751

Esther Marguerite Chase DJANGA Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Department of Public Health. University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon.
Therese Mbezele Essomba Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Department of Public Health. University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon.
Vanina Doris Edo’o Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Department of Public Health. University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon.
Jules Julien Ndjoh Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Department of Public Health. University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon.
Jim Nemy Herve Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Department of Public Health. University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon.
Tatiana Mossus u Etouno Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Department of Public Health. University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon.
Haamit Mahammat Abba-Kabir Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Department of Public Health. University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon.
Marie-Jose Essi Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Department of Public Health. University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon.

10.22270/ujpr.v7i2.751

Keywords:

Conventional medicine, Offer of services, Oral health, Traditional medicine

Abstract

Background: Access to oral care is a real public health challenge because dental pathologies affect all social strata, even the most disadvantaged. Knowing that the peripheral level in the health pyramid of Cameroon does not always benefit from oral services, this work proposed to present the offer of oral services in conventional medicine and traditional medicine in the Health District of Mbanga.

Materials and methods: A mixed descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in the Mbanga health district taking place from April 2021 to January 2022. All dentists and traditional therapists providing oral care were included in the study and having given their consent. To do this, a reading grid and an interview guide made it possible to obtain two types of variables. The qualitative variables were analyzed manually with the color code. While the quantitative variables were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0 software.

Results: Total 13 traditional healers were found and two dental surgeons working in the community of Mbanga were interacted for this study. The dentists were only women with less than a year of experience. The technical platform consisted of a portable dental chair and a dental case. The benefits were essentially curative. The traditional therapists worked in counters or in their vehicles. The majority of the products were decoctions. They treated oral ailments and would refer to the hospital in case of complications. Only a few used products to perform dental extractions.

Conclusion: The offer of services must be within the reach of every individual. However, this offer must be in line with the need.