Lagos Nigeria; November 28, 2016: Ikeja Electric Plc (IE), one of Nigeria’s leading Electricity Distribution Companies, has carried out an oral hygiene intervention campaign across five primary schools within its network where the pupils were taught the fundamentals of dental care.
The campaign, organized with the support of Unilever Nigeria Plc and health maintenance agency, Hygeia HMO, focused on promoting promote oral hygiene among primary school pupils, with focus on the importance of brushing teeth twice daily, in a three minute cycle, to help prevent tooth decay.
Schools visited by the Oral Care campaign team include, Ipaja Community Primary School, Ipaja; Owoseni Primary School, Oshodi; Coker Memorial Primary School, Ifako Ijaiye; Adiyan Primary School, Abule Egba, as well as the Local Primary School, Ipakodo, Ikorodu where physically challenged children also participated in the exercise.
Speaking on the initiative, IE’s Head Corporate Communications, Felix Ofulue noted that the CSR programme is aimed at ensuring improved well-being and good health for primary school children, through proper oral hygiene, in order to bring out the best in them.
According to him, “tooth decay is probably one of the most common health challenges among children and it can be a very painful experience. You can therefore appreciate the discomfort which children experience when they have to endure such pain while studying. It can be such a distraction. This is why we are here to ensure that they learn the right way to care for their teeth to make studying a lot easier for them”.
A pack containing toothpaste, toothbrush and oral health manual was handed over to each pupil after brief education and demonstration by Dr. Abolade Majekodunmi of Hygeia on how to maintain oral hygiene. The pupils were encouraged to always brush every morning and night, using fluoridated toothpaste.
The dentist further urged them to stay away from sweets and sugary foods in order to maintain oral hygiene, while they were cautioned to avoid eating high sugar based confectioneries and drinks and also encouraged to visit the dentist at least once every six months.
In his remarks, Comrade Abiodun Coker, representing Ayobo-Ipaja Community Development Council (CDC), commended Ikeja Electric for organizing the oral hygiene campaign, explaining that grassroot health initiatives such as this are always welcome by the community. He urged other companies to emulate the good gesture by showing interest in the wellbeing of residents and citizens in their area of influence.
Similarly, the Head Teacher of Coker Memorial Primary School, Ifako-Ijaiye, Mrs. Avoseh expressed delight at the initiative. She commended Ikeja Electric and its partners
for visiting the school and giving priority to the health of the children, noting that if the kids are healthy, they will be happy to learn.”
Entrenched in her Core Values, Ikeja Electric has remained commited to giving back to host communities through its Personal-Corporate Social Responsibility (P-CSR) quarterly activities that have seen the company clean up markets, provide eye care, purchase books for schools as well as providing important and lifesaving health tips to minors.
