Dental conditions top the list of problems for children here, says a doctor at a Labasa medical camp.

Camp team leader, Doctor Guru Naker, made the comment yesterday at the first day of the camp.

The camp was hosted by the  Sathya Sai Service Organisation of Fiji and Sai Medical Unit of Australia organised in conjunction with the Fiji College of General Practitioners.

Dr Naker said: “Children tend to have a lot of teeth problem because I think that they tend to eat a lot of sweet things, and here sugar is easily available,” he said.

“People have a tradition of drinking soft drinks loaded with sugar, all the food is also loaded with calories, so I think this contributes to dental issues and other issues like diabetes.”

Dr Naker said that education was the most effective way to combat the mentioned diseases.

“Education is the most important because non-communicable disease (NCD) is dependent on the patient. Hospitals can only do as much, unless the patient makes the change,” he said.

More than 300 Northerners turned up to the medical camp yesterday.

“We have these medical camps at different parts of the world and Fiji is close to Australia and New Zealand and we thought this is where the need is. That is why we started in 2007, we usually  bring our team around August so we can organise a big activity,” Dr Naker said.

“Diabetes is one of the most common, and then heart problems. We see a lot of heart strokes, and children tend to have a lot of teeth problem.

This is the 11th time people of the North have been provided with free medical services.

The Minister for Health and Medical Services Rosy Akbar visited the camp yesterday.

The team is made up of 64 individuals, 16, of whom are medical students from the Umanand Prasad School of Medicine in Lautoka. They will be in Bulileka today before moving to Bocalevu Primary School where they will provide similar service the next two days..

Edited by Karalaini Waqanidrola

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