Dental cavities is one the top health conditions among school students in Fiji - Health Ministry

A report by the Health Ministry has found that dental cavities is one the top health conditions among school students in Fiji.

The Health Status report which was compiled by the Health Information Unit in 2016 is an annual compilation of health performance including disease trends.

Dental cavities was mostly found in more than 106,000 students seen through the Health Ministry’s school visitations.

The report looked at data from 2013 to 2016.

It is questioning what parents and schools are doing to ensure students have a healthy food environment with the main focus on school canteens.

The Health Ministry through the School Health Policy is now intervening in schools but as said by National Wellness Centre Director Doctor Isimeli Tukana, they face problems dealing with school managements because schools are using canteens for their fundraising.

The Education Ministry’s Policy on Food and School Canteens outlines a list of approved and prohibited food items and beverages in school canteens.

There are about nine types of food and beverages that are approved while fifteen are prohibited but Legend FM News still witnesses some of the prohibited food and beverages being sold in schools around the country.

According to the Policy, the Head of School is the person in charge overall of monitoring the establishment and operations of the School Canteen Committee, irrespective of whether the canteen is operated by the school management or the canteen contractor.