GUINEA — Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry (UGANC), Guinea’s only public dental school, has officially unveiled its new cutting-edge dental clinic, a facility that will transform dental education and healthcare in Guinea and throughout West Africa.

This grand opening is part of a collaboration with the international non-governmental organisation Mercy Ships and is expected to more than increase the capacity for dentistry students to learn, practise and treat patients, addressing a huge gap in dental care access.

The newly opened clinic, which covers 1,500 square meters, took over 20 months to complete and is a major milestone in UGANC’s ongoing expansion.

The clinic allows the university’s Doctorate in Dental Surgery program to increase its capacity to 30 students per class, accommodating a total of over 210 students across all years of study.

This increase in capacity is anticipated to substantially impact the current shortage of dental professionals in Guinea.

Guinea’s dental healthcare system has faced critical challenges for decades, and this new clinic is seen as a major step forward.

According to the 2022 World Bank data, Guinea has a population of approximately 13.86 million, yet only US$3.2 million was spent on dental healthcare in 2019.

The same year, the country faced economic losses amounting to US$27 million due to oral diseases.

Moreover, in 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the average number of dentists in the Africa region was only 3.3 per 100,000 people, a stark contrast to global averages.

This project builds upon the 2018 partnership between UGANC and Mercy Ships, which aimed to renovate the university’s dental training facilities.

In the initial phase, the partnership introduced simulation and practical training through the establishment of four simulation stations and 10 dental chairs.

With this new expansion, UGANC boasts 30 simulation stations, 22 dental chairs for patient care, and new labs for practical training and dental prosthodontics.

The facility is equipped with cutting-edge technologies, including a CBCT (Cone Beam CT) scanner for detailed 3D imaging and an electronic medical management system for efficient patient recordkeeping.

As of September 2024, UGANC hosts 26 international students enrolled in various exchange programs, including 11 dental students from neighboring Sierra Leone, where Mercy Ships’ hospital ship Global Mercy is docked.

 Other students studying at UGANC and related programs in Morocco represent a diverse group of African nations, such as Benin, Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, and Sierra Leone.

Speaking at the clinic’s opening, Professor Mohamed Cissé, Dean of UGANC’s Faculty of Medicine, highlighted that Guineans have traditionally sought medical care abroad.

However, with the inauguration of this new clinic, he emphasized that patients will no longer need to travel, as the facility provides advanced care within the country.

He also expressed his gratitude to Mercy Ships for its role in developing the clinic, noting that it positions UGANC as a leader in dental surgery in the region.

Guinea’s Minister of Higher Education, Mr. Alpha Bacar Barry, who was the first patient treated at the new clinic, echoed this sentiment.

He noted that the clinic’s infrastructure and equipment represent a tremendous benefit to Guinea, providing much-needed dental services to the population.

He urged students to fully commit to their studies, encouraging them to become skilled dentists and contribute to improving the country’s healthcare system.

Lead dentist Dr. David Ugai, now Mercy Ships’ Country Director in Guinea and the Dental Director of Education and Investment, has been involved in Guinea’s dental sector since 2012.

He commended the collaboration and donor support that have made the new clinic a reality.

Dr. Ugai emphasized that the facility will not only meet Guinea’s national standards but will also work toward achieving international accreditation standards in the future.

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