Brown teeth disease breaks out in Upper East Region
By Abdul Salam Sule, Ghanadot

Accra, May 21, Ghanadot - Information available to Ghanadot has it that, out of every 100 people in the Upper East Region, 20 are suffering from floridies, a disease which attacks the gum and teeth rendering them permanently brownish.

The most affected district in the region is the Bongo district where out of over 77,000 population, 15,000 are reported to have been infected with the disease.

According to medical science reports, the disease has the potential of not only reducing the productive capacity of the individual because it weakens the bones and joints but also reduces the persons life.

The report further revealed that, the disease is caused by high concentration of flouride in underground water and research by the World Health Organisation detected that most of the water bodies in the Upper East Region especially the Bongo District contained high concentration of flouride. As a result those who drink this water are affected by the disease.

The social impact of the disease on the affected people is a glooming picture of lost hope. At the Bongo Senior High School, it was discovered that the situation has led to school drop out and the girls are the victims. The girls said, they felt embarrassed when they tried to smile or laugh not only among their peers but also in public for fear of exposing their coloured teeth.

The situation is further compounded by the fact that junior high schools graduates in the district refused placement to senior high schools outside the district for fear of embarrassment.

Many interventions have however been tried but very little had been achieved. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) intervened by constructing a number of boreholes in the area to combat the disease but the situation persisted.

The Community Water and Sanitation Agency on their part took up the challenge in 2006 and attempted to drastically reduce the disease by drilling over 36 new boreholes in the Bongo district alone but the programme had been stalled for the past two years.
The Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional area, Bonaba Alenyarim Salifu has appealed to the government to expedite action on the extension of pipeborne water from Bolgatanga to the area.

Meanwhile, Mr Moses Nyaaba Barfo has advised parents and pupils in the area to only drink treated sachet mineral water to avoid contracting the disease.