Avoid 'kooko' herbal medicine for dental ailments - Ghanaians told

Ghanaians have been entreated to avoid the use of "kooko" or rather piles herbal products for treatment of their gum and other dental related diseases.

Dr. Chris Vondee, a UK-based Ghanaian Dental Surgeon, in the advice, bemoaned what he called "many quack herbal doctors taking advantage of the absence of qualified dental practitioners in the deprived rural areas, selling all kinds of medicines, tagged to cure all kinds of diseases, to them."

He was speaking at three separate Dental Health Outreach programmes at Adaklu-Helekpe in Adaklu District, Adidome in Central Tongu District and Peki-Blengo in South Dayi District, all of the Volta Region.

Organised by Jonmoore International Limited, a Ghanaian-based Transport and Projects Logistics company, it was aimed at giving their widows mite back to society.

It was in partnership with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Knight Smile Dental Centre in Accra and the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Ho, Volta Region.

Three Dental Surgeons - Dr. Vondee, Dr. George Brown, also a Ghanaian in UK and Dr. Malcom Farr, a London-based UK Dental Surgeon, and their Ghanaian wives were also partners, mobilising the medications and some logistics.

"There is no correlation between herbal piles medicines and dental and gum diseases," he said.

Dr. Vondee therefore advised rural folks to be weary of such quack herbal practitioners and rather visit the nearest health facility for the appropriate care and counselling.

"Our people need to be very careful with these fake doctors in the system and seek proper medical treatment at approved health centres and hospitals," Dr. Vondee said.

He entreated government and other health sector stakeholders to help bridge the widening gap between the urban and rural communities in issues of oral and dental health care.

In all a team of 20 members, including the Specialists were involved in handling the outreaches, with a total of 1809 persons benefiting at all three centres.

They were treated, counselled on maintaining good oral and dental hygiene, some were further referred to hospitals.