No fewer than 1,500 residents of Bunkure Local Government Area in Kano State have benefited from a free dental outreach championed by the FCT Minister of State, Mariya Mahmoud, as part of her empowerment programme.
The event, held at the Bunkure Primary Health Care Centre, brought relief and restored smiles to a community long burdened by untreated oral health challenges.
Speaking during the outreach, Mahmoud described the initiative as part of a broader empowerment programme covering all 44 local government areas and 484 wards in Kano State. “I am super elated. As you can see, so many people gathered here today. Some had dentures fixed, some had extractions, and others did scaling and polishing,” she said.
She explained that beyond treatment, beneficiaries also received dental kits, including toothbrushes and toothpaste, alongside oral health education. “If you cannot brush three times a day, at least do it in the morning and before night,” she advised.
Mahmoud expressed hope that similar interventions could be expanded to other areas of healthcare. “It could be ophthalmic next time, for those with eye problems. It could address malnutrition in children or provide free antenatal care for pregnant women. We can go one by one. It is very doable if we have the opportunity,” she said, describing the programme as part of the “dividend of democracy” under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership.
One of the beneficiaries, Zulai Adamu, described the outreach as life-changing. “For 10 years, I couldn’t smile or laugh because I was afraid people would laugh at me. I used to go to the hospital, but I couldn’t afford the treatment. Today, the Minister has restored my smile. Now I can laugh when and where necessary,” she said emotionally.
Medical partners also highlighted the impact of the intervention. Programme Coordinator of the Global Smile Initiative (GSI), Olusegun Alalade, said the turnout was overwhelming, with more than 500 people present at the venue. “As at the time you met us, we have attended to close to 200 beneficiaries,” he noted, adding that cases ranged from dentures and fillings to extractions, medications and consultations.
He emphasised that for many people in Bunkure, the outreach was not just about dental procedures but about dignity restored.
By Eunice Orike, Abuja
