Dental Clinic For People Living With HIV/AIDS Opens In Uganda

Uganda's first dental clinic for people living with HIV/AIDS opened last week at an HIV/AIDS medical center near the capital, Kampala, Uganda's New Vision reports. The $18,000 clinic was funded by the British High Commission, and the charity Dentaid provided the clinic's equipment and training for the staff. Dental services will be offered at no cost to the center's 3,500 patients. John Hamilton, the British High Commission's consul, said problems with oral health could be a sign of HIV progression and can put a strain on an HIV-positive person's immune system. He added that antiretroviral drugs can cause mouth dryness, which can lead to gum disease, tooth decay and other dental problems (Natukunda, New Vision, 10/19).

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