FG unveils N70bn plan to tackle Noma

The Federal Government has unveiled a N70bn National Oral Health Strategic Plan for 2026–2030 to improve access to dental care, address the burden of oral diseases and eliminate Noma as a public health problem.

The five-year plan is designed to expand preventive and curative oral health services, improve early detection and treatment of Noma, strengthen the dental workforce and integrate oral healthcare into primary healthcare services across the 774 local government areas.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, announced the initiative on Monday in Abuja during the commemoration of National Noma Day and National Oral Health Day.

According to a statement by the ministry’s Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations, Ado Bako, Salako said the initiative aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises the health and wellbeing of Nigerians.

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He described oral health as a critical component of Universal Health Coverage, saying it should no longer be neglected in the country’s healthcare delivery system.

Expressing concern over Nigeria’s burden of Noma, particularly in the North-West and North-East, the minister described the disease as preventable but devastating, with the potential to cause severe facial disfigurement, disability and death, especially among malnourished children.

He said the World Health Organisation’s recognition of Noma as a Neglected Tropical Disease in 2023 marked a significant milestone in global efforts to combat the condition.

Salako disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Health had integrated Noma surveillance into the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response system, while intensifying efforts to improve early detection and referral through primary healthcare facilities.

He added that frontline health workers, traditional healers and traditional birth attendants had been trained in 19 states to identify early signs of Noma and other oral diseases and facilitate prompt referrals for treatment.

Highlighting gaps in oral healthcare delivery, the minister said more than 80 per cent of Nigerians had never visited a dentist, while two out of every three children were living with untreated dental caries.

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He further disclosed that Nigeria had approximately one dentist for every 38,000 people, compared with the World Health Organisation’s recommended ratio of one dentist to 7,500 people.

To address the challenges, Salako said the government was strengthening the integration of oral healthcare into primary healthcare through the Sector-Wide Approach and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund to improve access to affordable and quality services.

He also announced that the Federal Executive Council had approved the National Centre for Oral Health Establishment Bill 2026 and forwarded it to the National Assembly for consideration.

According to him, the N70bn strategic plan provides a framework for improving oral health outcomes through preventive interventions, school-based oral health programmes, increased access to fluoride toothpaste, sugar-reduction initiatives and the integration of oral healthcare into maternal and child health, nutrition and non-communicable disease programmes.

The plan also prioritises the training and equitable distribution of oral health personnel, including dental therapists and dental surgery technicians, as well as improvements in primary healthcare infrastructure, referral systems and access to specialised services.

Salako urged state and local governments to domesticate and implement the plan, while calling on development partners, including the WHO, UNICEF and the FDI World Dental Federation, to sustain their support.

He also called for stronger collaboration among healthcare professionals and the adoption of integrated, people-centred approaches to oral healthcare delivery.

The minister commended Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Noma Aid Nigeria Initiative (NANI), Noma Children’s Hospital, Sokoto, healthcare professionals, researchers and advocates for their contributions to Noma prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and public awareness.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that no Nigerian child suffered preventable death or permanent disfigurement from Noma, saying sustained investment, community engagement and effective partnerships were necessary to achieve the goal.

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In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, represented by her Senior Technical Assistant, Dr Dogara Okara, said strengthening oral healthcare services remained central to the ministry’s efforts to advance Universal Health Coverage and revitalise primary healthcare.

She identified capacity building for frontline health workers, particularly community health workers and primary healthcare personnel, as a key strategy for improving early detection and management of oral diseases.

According to her, equipping the workers with the necessary knowledge and skills would enable them to recognise warning signs, provide basic oral health education, promote preventive practices and ensure timely referrals of suspected Noma cases.

Kachollom said successful implementation of the strategic plan would require sustained collaboration among government institutions, development partners, professional associations, private sector organisations, academic institutions and communities.

She commended NANI, MSF, Noma Children’s Hospital, Sokoto, Colgate, professional associations, regulatory bodies and other development partners for their financial contributions, technical expertise, research and service delivery interventions in the fight against Noma.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to strengthening primary healthcare and integrating oral health services into routine healthcare delivery.

She 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 to oral health challenges.

The senator disclosed that legislative efforts were underway to institutionalise routine oral health screenings, early diagnosis of dental infections and specialised training for healthcare personnel.

She also pledged stronger legislative oversight to ensure that appropriated funds translated into tangible healthcare services for affected children and families across the six geopolitical zones.

Harry-Banigo called for increased collaboration among state governments, religious leaders, development partners and the media to tackle stigma, improve nutrition and intensify public awareness of Noma and other oral diseases.

In his goodwill message, the Country Representative of MSF, Dr Aldikhari 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 the initiatives must be backed by sustainable funding, functional surveillance systems and effective implementation to achieve meaningful results.

Providing an update on MSF’s collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Sokoto State Ministry of Health at the Noma Children’s Hospital, Ahmed said the partnership had 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.

The WHO Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr Pavel Ursu, represented by Dr Victor, said Noma primarily affected malnourished children between the ages of two and six, particularly those living in impoverished communities.

He said early detection and prompt treatment could prevent the severe consequences of the disease, and called for improved capacity among frontline health workers, stronger surveillance systems and adequate psychosocial support for survivors and their families.