The kingdom of Tonga

Presenter

Sione HalahalaSitaniselao Kisina

Introduction• Tonga is the only remaining kingdom

in the South Pacific

• It consist of 150 small islands, which are scattered between 15 and 23 degrees south latitude and 173 and 177 degrees west longitude

• Tonga is divided into 3 main island group namely, Tongatapu, Vavau, and Haapai

• The total area of the group is 748sq km (269 square miles)

Tonga consist of 150 islands which are volcanic and coral

• Only 36 islands are inhabited

• Population is just above 100,000• The native people of the groups are

Polynesians with our own native tongue

• (Tongan)

Tongan group

Organizational structure

Minister of Health

Director of Health

Chief Dental Officer

Pharmacological Division

Dental OfficerDental Division

Medical Division

Laboratory Technical Division

Nursing Division

Public Health Division

Preventive Health Planning Division

Acting Director of Health

●Vaiola Hospital (Tongatapu) ●Prince Wellington Ngu Hospital (Vava’u)●Niu’ui Hospital (Ha’apai- SDTh]

●Niu’eiki Hospital (‘Eua-DTh]

●Likamonu Hospital- NTT-DTh●Tu’akifalelei Hospital (Niuafo’ou-DTh]

Ministry of Health of Kingdom of Tonga

Staff • There are 7 Dentist and 1 volunteer dentist

(JICA) with a dentist to population ratio of about 1:14,000.

• 11 dental therapist and 6 therapist trainee • The population to working dental personnel

is about 1:4000• We also have a sterilizing officer and 2

receptionist.

Disease prevalence• Dental caries and periodontal disease

are the 2 major dental disease that affects the group

• With changing lifestyle and diet Tonga has a very high caries rate

• dmft is about 4 -1986• There has been no national survey to

confirm the dmft of 6yr old children, but records shows a very high caries rate

407 students in class 1 in all Vava’u Primary schools, 2007

Average age: 5y 7m-Dr Fujise

5% Only 20 students

95%

Healthy teethDecayed teeth

Prevalence rate of dental caries: 95%

An example case in the theater at the Hospital

5 years-old girl lost 12/20 teeth because of sever tooth decays and pain

She has no pain anymore but it will take many years to get next new adult teeth after that operation

2007 2006 2005 2004 2003

No of pts seen 35247 33735 38759 51538 47180

No of teeth removed 22032 20456 19815 25607 36719

caries 15690 13738 14140 16194 20956

Perio 5443 5222 4905 3675 15763

Others 899

Extract from Ministry of Health Annual Report 2007

Job description• We provide general dental services

and oral surgery as the only specialized field.

• In our preventive service we provide fluoride rinsing, fissure sealant of 1st perm molar and tooth brushing.

• This fluoride rinsing is funded by the South Pacific Medical Team in Japan

• This aid had also provided 3 vehicles to carry out the fluoride rinsing to all the schools in the 3 major island groups

• There is also a caravan in the main island that provides fissure sealants of 1st permanent molars of students of about 6 years of age

Plan• The department us fully committed to

the fluoride rinsing program and is planning to set funds for this program as this is the only way to combat this disaster

• We are also liaising with the Ministry of education to include oral health in the school curricullum

• To educate people about the importance of oral health

Shortcoming• As always with third world countries

there is always the shortage of funds• There is also shortage of manpower• There is also the concern about

lifestyle diseases and peoples awareness of their oral health

Malo aupito