Nigeria Among Sub-Saharan Countries With Highest Prevalence Of Noma Disease, Says FG

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, has stated that Nigeria is one of the countries with the highest prevalence of the Noma disease, as it falls within the Noma belt of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Salako stated this in Abuja, on Tuesday, at the commemoration of the 2025 National Oral Health Week and Noma Awareness Day, and Scientific Conference, themed “Ending Noma through Strengthening Intersectoral and Global Cooperation”.

“Nigeria falls within the Noma belt of Sub-Saharan Africa, among countries with the highest prevalence of the disease, especially in the North-Western region.

“Factors such as poverty, malnutrition, and poor oral hygiene continue to drive the incidence, while poor surveillance systems mean many cases go undiagnosed and untreated, thus leading to avoidable deaths. This, therefore, is a disease entity that we need to confront with urgency,” he said.

The minister noted that the federal government is working towards expanding access to increase funding for oral health services, particularly for vulnerable populations, and also aims to integrate oral health into Primary Health Care fully, providing oral hygiene education, counselling, diagnostics, fluoride treatment, restorative services, and referrals.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Noma is a severe gangrenous disease of the mouth and face. Its pathogenesis is linked with non-specific polymicrobial organisms and a range of modifiable risk factors and underlying social determinants shared with other neglected tropical diseases.

WHO noted that the disease affects mainly children aged two to six years and is found most commonly among those living in poor communities, with Africa being the most affected continent.

Meanwhile, Salako lamented that poor oral health is a silent epidemic that undermines productivity, self-esteem, and quality of life. Yet, millions of Nigerians, especially children and the elderly, continue to suffer from preventable oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontal disease, and oral cancers.

“Data has shown us that oral diseases are the most common non-communicable diseases, affecting nearly 50 per cent of the world’s population. They are accompanied by high social, economic, and health system impacts, affecting people throughout their course of life, causing pain, disfigurement, social isolation, distress, and death,” Salako said.

He further explained that Noma is a rapidly progressing gangrenous infection that affects the face, primarily in malnourished children with poor oral hygiene living in extreme poverty, and begins as a simple gum infection that can lead to severe disfigurement or death within days if untreated.

According to him, dental facilities will be upgraded and equipped to enhance oral health care quality. More dental professionals will be employed to provide services at these PHCs.

Salako also disclosed that the Ministry has also embarked on training primary health workers, community health workers, and traditional birth attendants on early identification, treatment, and referral of common oral diseases.

He added that the approach is to help reduce stigmatisation, raise awareness about oral health, and ensure early identification of Noma, cleft lips, or palates for appropriate referral to comprehensive treatment, often provided free.

While emphasising that Noma is preventable and treatable, Salako warned that no child in the country should suffer irreversible disfigurement or die from it.

In his remarks, the Country Representative of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Ahmed Aldikhari, said MSF had partnered with Nigeria since 2014 to deliver comprehensive Noma care, including reconstructive surgeries, physiotherapy, nutrition support, and mental health services.

Aldikhari also noted that over the past decade, the joint efforts of the organisation and the government have enabled more than 1,600 major reconstructive surgeries for 1,074 patients through 33 surgical missions.

“In 2025 alone, 99 surgeries were performed for 89 patients. Equally important, capacity building remains central to our mission: 28 national surgeons and 14 anaesthetists have been trained by international specialists, strengthening Nigeria’s long-term ability to provide quality care for Noma patients.

“A major milestone in our collective work was the inclusion of Noma in the WHO list of neglected tropical diseases, a result of strong global advocacy led jointly by the Nigerian government and MSF.

“Nigeria is now well-positioned to transform this recognition into real progress through strengthened prevention, improved surveillance, and expanded access to treatment,” he said.

Aldikhari further called for sustained and deliberate investment to prevent Noma, care for those affected, and build strong health systems capable of addressing this disease.

On his part, the Chairman of Noma Aid Nigeria Initiative, Mathis Winkler, reiterated that Nigeria bears the highest burden of Noma in Africa, which explains the organisation’s investment in treatment and prevention.

“Nigeria, being the most populous country in Africa, is the most affected by the disease as far as we know. Our mission is to help survivors of Noma and prevent the disease in the first place. The government here is a champion in the fight against Noma, so it is easy for us to join forces to treat survivors,” he said.

Also, the Country Director of NANI, Charles Ononiwu, noted that the centre had conducted 237 Noma surgeries since 2023, free of charge.

“Everything we do for these patients is completely free. Many are extremely poor, and we even cover transportation, surgery, medication, feeding, and social assistance,” he said.

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Health, Amos Magaji, pointed out that the National Assembly recognises Noma as both a public health emergency and a social justice issue, emphasizing that no child should live with a preventable deformity, and no parent should suffer avoidable grief.

He further stated that addressing poverty, malnutrition, and lack of clean water, alongside stronger PHC systems, community education, and sustained financing will help to eliminate Noma.