Abstract

PIP: An example of health education attempted by St. Mary's Hospital Lacor, Gulu, Uganda produced ambivalent results. The Acholi people in the area believe that "ebino" or false tooth, which is what they call the erupting canine teeth in 4-7 month-old infants, causes diarrhea, fever, convulsions and failure to thrive. They therefore remove the tooth buds, using unhygienic conditions, causing such complications as infection, hemorrhage, anemia, osteomyelitis, septicemia, meningitis, tetanus and sometimes death. In 1982 the hospital workers changed their attitude from one of contempt and hostility to acceptance, teaching people about the complications of removing false teeth. Attempts at education have resulted in an increase in late, more seriously ill cases in 1980-82; a great increase in cases brought to the hospital in 1983; followed by admissions sooner after the procedure with only 7% deaths in 1983-84. Recently very young babies have been brought in, having been operated on before any gingival swelling would be apparent. Surveys of hospital personnel showed that a majority of them favor the operation, but prefer it to be done in the hospital with aseptic techniques. The current approach is to express confidence in mothers' natural intelligence and ability to understand the subject presented to them clearly.