The 17th batch of Chinese medical team to São Tomé and Príncipe launched the “Dental Fluoridation Project for the Prevention of Caries for Children in São Tomé” last Thursday and the launching ceremony was held at the Pantufo Primary School, according to China Central Television (CCTV).

The ceremony was attended by: the Economic and Commercial Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in São Tomé and Príncipe, Hao Qinmei; representative of Basic Education Department, Ministry of Education of São Tomé and Príncipe; and Director of Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Ministry of São Tomé and Príncipe.

The medical team will carry out a phased fluoride varnish program for the fifth-grade students of primary schools in São Tomé Island to prevent caries prevention. This semester is the first phase of the project, in which the medical team will visit eight primary schools and apply fluoride varnish to more than a thousand fifth-grade students. The medical team will follow up in six months to observe the effect of the application of fluoride varnish.

The project aims to raise the teenagers’ awareness of the importance of oral health, increase the popularization of oral health knowledge, and further enhance the development of medical and health care services in São Tomé and Príncipe.