By Matthew Otabe
The Federal Government and the National Assembly have stepped up efforts to eliminate noma in Nigeria, unveiling a five-year strategic plan and calling for the mobilisation of N70bn to strengthen prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
The National Oral Health Strategic Plan (2026–2030), introduced by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, is designed to integrate oral healthcare into primary healthcare services, improve access for vulnerable populations and tackle the growing burden of oral diseases, particularly noma, which predominantly affects malnourished children in poor and underserved communities.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, announced the initiative on Monday in Abuja during the commemoration of the 2026 Oral Health Week, National Noma Day and Scientific Conference.
The conference was held under the theme, “Integrating Noma into Primary Healthcare: From Comprehensive Management to Prevention.”
Salako described the strategic plan as a significant departure from Nigeria’s conventional curative approach to dentistry, stressing the need for a prevention-driven healthcare system that prioritises health education, early detection and timely intervention.
He explained that the framework was developed through extensive consultations with the Nigerian Dental Association and other stakeholders to strengthen oral healthcare delivery nationwide.
According to the minister, noma is a rapidly progressing and potentially fatal disease that destroys facial tissues. It often begins as a simple gum infection but can cause devastating complications within days if left undetected or untreated.
He noted that the disease disproportionately affects children living in poverty, particularly those suffering from malnutrition and inadequate access to healthcare, with survivors frequently experiencing severe facial disfigurement, disability and social stigma.
Salako welcomed the World Health Organisation’s recognition of noma as a Neglected Tropical Disease, describing the development as an important milestone in attracting international attention and resources towards combating the condition.
He said the Federal Government was intensifying grassroots interventions through the training of frontline health workers, community volunteers and traditional birth attendants to recognise early symptoms and facilitate prompt referrals.
The minister also highlighted the contributions of specialised facilities, including the Noma Children’s Hospital in Sokoto and the national treatment facility in Abuja, which provide free reconstructive surgeries, rehabilitation and psychosocial support to affected children and their families.
He added that vulnerable households affected by the disease were being linked to social protection programmes to reduce the financial burden of long-term treatment and rehabilitation.
Expressing concern over the country’s oral healthcare situation, Salako disclosed that more than 80 per cent of Nigerians had never visited a dentist, while the dentist-to-population ratio remained approximately one to 38,000.
To address the challenge, he said the government was leveraging the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and other sector-wide initiatives to improve dental infrastructure, recruit and deploy more professionals and strengthen school-based oral health programmes.
He consequently appealed to state governments and development partners to mobilise about N70bn over the next five years to finance the strategic plan and ensure that underserved communities receive adequate oral healthcare services.
National Assembly Pledges Support
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Health has pledged legislative and financial support for the nationwide campaign, describing noma as an entirely preventable and treatable disease when detected early.
The committee, chaired by Senator Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to strengthening primary healthcare delivery and making oral health an integral part of routine healthcare services.
It disclosed that funding for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund had been increased from one to two per cent to strengthen frontline healthcare delivery and community-level interventions.
The committee identified the Noma Children’s Hospital in Sokoto, the Intercountry Centre in Jos and the ongoing retrofitting of dental centres across federal university teaching hospitals as critical components of Nigeria’s response.
It further disclosed that legislative measures were being pursued to institutionalise routine oral health screenings, early diagnosis of dental infections and specialised training.
The lawmakers also pledged stronger oversight to ensure that appropriated funds translate into tangible healthcare services for affected children and families across the six geopolitical zones.
They called for increased collaboration among state governments, religious leaders, development partners and the media to address stigma, improve nutrition and intensify public awareness campaigns.
Similarly, the Country Representative of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Dr Aldikhari Ahmed, called for stronger community-based surveillance and early detection, warning that delays in identifying noma could result in severe facial disfigurement, disability and death.
In his goodwill message, Ahmed commended the Federal Government and other stakeholders for efforts to integrate noma into primary healthcare guidelines and include the disease in the Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS).
He, however, stressed that such initiatives must be supported by sustainable funding, functional surveillance systems and effective implementation to achieve meaningful results.
Highlighting MSF’s collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Sokoto State Ministry of Health at the Noma Children’s Hospital, Ahmed disclosed that the organisation had supported comprehensive treatment at the facility since 2014.
According to him, the partnership has facilitated more than 1,759 major reconstructive surgeries for 1,174 patients through 35 surgical missions.
He added that 114 surgeries had been performed on 96 patients in 2026 alone, while 28 Nigerian surgeons and 14 anaesthetists had received specialised training through the collaboration.
Ahmed urged the government and development partners to invest deliberately in implementing the National Strategic Plan on Oral Health, stressing that no child should suffer or die from a preventable and treatable disease.
Also speaking, the World Health Organisation Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr Pavel Ursu, represented by Dr Victor, commended the Federal Ministry of Health for convening the conference and called for the integration of noma prevention and comprehensive management into routine primary healthcare services.
He noted that noma primarily affects malnourished children between the ages of two and six, particularly those living in impoverished communities.
He stressed that early detection and prompt treatment could prevent the devastating consequences of the disease.
Ursu called for improved capacity among frontline health workers, stronger disease surveillance systems and adequate psychosocial support for survivors and their families.
In her keynote address, Dr Adebimpe Adebiyi paid tribute to the late Mama Ute Winkler-Stumpf, founder of Hilfsaktion Noma, for her remarkable contributions to the treatment and rehabilitation of children affected by the disease.
Adebiyi recalled that the organisation worked closely with the World Health Organisation and Nigerian authorities to establish critical treatment infrastructure, including the Noma Centre in Abuja, where numerous children have benefited from free, life-changing reconstructive surgeries.
She said the late humanitarian’s legacy should inspire stakeholders to move beyond sympathy and isolated clinical interventions towards sustainable healthcare systems that prioritise prevention, early diagnosis and community awareness.
The National Oral Health Strategic Plan (2026–2030) is expected to provide a coordinated national framework for tackling noma and other oral diseases while expanding access to affordable and quality oral healthcare, particularly for children and vulnerable populations across Nigeria.
