National Oral Health Task Force Initiate to Improve Oral Health

The Oral Health Collaborative recently formed the 'National Oral Health Task Force', a critical step in improving the oral health landscape in India. Taru Leading Edge, a New Delhi-based think tank, arranged the event, which was sponsored by Haleon (formerly GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare).

India grapples with intricate oral health challenges stemming from socio-economic complexities, access disparities, and prevalent oral diseases. The economic burden of prevalent oral diseases is an estimated Rs. 50 billion. The primary focus of this task force is to address these challenges through driving awareness on oral health, enabling access, and empowering Indians to take proactive charge of their oral health, as per pharmabiz As the Chief Guest, Dr R K Srivastava, former DGHS, former chairman, MCI, and Advisor, WISH Foundation, and Chairperson: Dr L. Swasticharan, addl. deputy director general (NCD), Dte.GHS, Government of India, were present, along with Navneet Saluja, GM, Haleon ISC BU, and Manu Prakash, CEO, Taru.

Chief Guest at the event, Dr R K Srivastava, former DGHS, former chairman, MCI and advisor, WISH Foundation, said, “The ripple effect of oral health on overall well-being is undeniable, and the commendable strides made by the Indian government in this domain have not only positively impacted individual lives but have also set the stage for a healthier society. The National Oral Health Programme stands as a testament to our commitment, but continuous efforts towards finding innovative solutions are essential for sustained improvement. I am confident that with a right mix of oral health awareness models, integration with AI based tools, a bottoms-up approach, along with a collaborative mindset can magnify our efforts towards rewriting the oral health charter, ultimately improving the overall health trajectory of our nation."