Strengthening and integration of oral health care for employees of Warana Samuh.

Warana is the Co-operative Group of Sugar Factory, Dairy, Banking, Agro-processing unit, Bazzar, Mahila Udyog (Micro/small Scale woman Industries), Transportation, Educational Institution, Medical Institution, Vocational training Centre, Industrial Training and placement Centre, Power plants etc. The foundation stone of Co-operative movement in Warana was led down by late Shree Tatyasaheb Kore has now emerged as a huge Skyscraper involving 30,000-40,000 members all over Maharashtra.

As promotion of oral health care has always been priority and thrust of TKDC, social awareness activities have been frequently conducted for Warana Samuh which includes screening and oral health educational camps for the employees (including their family), rallies, street plays and ‘No tobacco campaign etc.

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Screening and oral health educational camps:  Around 22 screening camps were conducted in last five years at dairy, Cadbury factory, bazaar, Bhagini Mandal, divyagjan School, Colleges of Warana Samuh. Around 2,000 patients (in 2017- 200, in 2018- 237, in 2019- 1126, in 2020- 287 and in 2021- 162 patients) were screened for dental problems, oral lesions, tobacco consumption habits. Interns and staff educated them about oral hygiene practices and required dental treatment, counselling about ill effects of tobacco was also done in the camps.

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Satellite centre: TKDC had satellite centre in Warananagar which served to workers of Warana sankul members of sugar factory, bazar, dairy, bank etc providing oral health check-up, counselling, oral prophylaxis and oral health education.

Audit camps for oral screening had been arranged in TKDC for Warana dairy employees as requested by general manager of Warana Dairy from year 2017 to 2021.  In 2017 - 1057, in 2018- 1183, in 2019- 1289, in 2020- 482 and in 2021-983 patients were screened at TKDC in audit camps.
 

Concessional treatment for Warana samuh employees

In promoting oral health care next hurdle was ‘unaffordable oral health care’ for which TKDC provides around 25-50% concession depends on dental treatment to Warana Samuh employees (Id card required) and their family members can also avail concession under following categories: senior citizen (50%, Id card required), below poverty line (50%, yellow ration card required), Handicapped person (certificate required) and some relatives who cannot afford treatment (Decision at discretion of Principal). Concessions are provided on some special days also, for example, Late chairman sir’s birth anniversary, Shivjayanti, Children’s Day, Prosthodontist’s Day, Periodontist’s Day etc which supports the belief of TKDC that is ‘Service is religion’.
 

Warana population assessed during screening camps and treated in TKDC provides more inclusive range of patients for dental students (UG, PG, PhD students) and staff which helps in researches to be conducted for various age groups and socioeconomic groups.
 

TKDC sees its efforts turn into positive impact on oral health of rural population as treatment utilisation rate has increased by the Warana Samuh employees, their families & relatives. Due to tobacco awareness consumption of tobacco has decreased atleast at workplace. With increased patients from Warana samuh, teaching material for undergraduate and postgraduate students has also increased.