Akor Sylvester, Abuja
The federal government has launched a five-year National Oral Health Strategic Plan (2026–2030), aimed at eliminating Noma as a public health problem, expanding access to dental services and integrating oral healthcare into Nigeria’s Primary Healthcare system.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, announced the initiative on Monday during the commemoration of the 2026 National Noma Day and National Oral Health Day in Abuja.
Salako said the plan, which is estimated to cost about ₦70bn over five years, was designed to address the country’s growing oral health challenges and ensure that preventable dental diseases no longer result in disability or death.
He said the initiative was consistent with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that oral healthcare must become an essential part of Universal Health Coverage rather than remain a neglected aspect of the country’s health system.
The minister expressed concern over the prevalence of Noma, particularly in the North-West and North-East, describing it as a preventable but life-threatening disease that causes severe facial disfigurement, disability and death, especially among malnourished children.
He noted that the World Health Organisation’s recognition of Noma as a Neglected Tropical Disease in 2023 represented an important step towards increasing global attention and strengthening interventions against the disease.
According to Salako, the Federal Ministry of Health has incorporated Noma surveillance into the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response system to improve early identification, reporting and treatment.
He added that healthcare workers, traditional healers and traditional birth attendants had received training across 19 states to recognise early symptoms of Noma and other oral diseases and facilitate prompt referrals.
Highlighting the country’s oral healthcare challenges, the minister disclosed that 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.
He further revealed that Nigeria had approximately one dentist for every 38,000 people, significantly below the World Health Organisation’s recommended ratio of one dentist to 7,500 people.
To address the shortage and improve access to services, Salako said the government was strengthening the integration of oral healthcare into Primary Healthcare facilities through the Sector-Wide Approach and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.
He also disclosed that the Federal Executive Council had approved the National Centre for Oral Health Establishment Bill 2026 and forwarded it to the National Assembly for legislative consideration.
The minister explained that the new strategic plan would prioritise preventive dental services, school-based oral health programmes, access to fluoride toothpaste and initiatives to reduce sugar consumption.
Other components include incorporating oral healthcare into maternal and child health, nutrition and non-communicable disease programmes, as well as training and equitable distribution of dental professionals.
He said the government also intended to strengthen primary healthcare infrastructure, improve referral systems and expand access to oral health services across all 774 local government areas.
Salako urged state and local governments to adopt and implement the strategic plan, while calling on development partners, including the WHO, UNICEF and the FDI World Dental Federation, to sustain their support.
He commended Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the Noma Aid Nigeria Initiative, Noma Children’s Hospital in Sokoto and other organisations for their contributions to the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of Noma patients.
“Our commitment is to ensure that no Nigerian child suffers preventable death or permanent disfigurement from Noma,” the minister said, emphasising the importance of sustained funding, community participation and partnerships in achieving the target.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, represented by her Senior Technical Assistant, Dr Dogara Okara, said the ministry remained committed to making oral healthcare an integral part of primary healthcare revitalisation and universal health coverage.
She identified the training of frontline healthcare personnel, particularly community health workers, as a major strategy for improving early detection and management of oral diseases.
According to her, trained personnel would be equipped to identify symptoms, provide basic oral health education, promote preventive practices and refer suspected Noma cases for appropriate treatment.
Kachollom stressed that successful implementation of the plan would require sustained cooperation among government agencies, development partners, professional associations, private organisations, academic institutions and local communities.
She also acknowledged the contributions of MSF, Noma Aid Nigeria Initiative, Noma Children’s Hospital, Colgate and other partners towards improving oral healthcare delivery in the country.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to strengthening primary healthcare and ensuring that oral health services became part of routine medical care.
She identified the Noma Children’s Hospital in Sokoto, the Intercountry Centre in Jos and the ongoing rehabilitation of dental centres in federal university teaching hospitals as important components of Nigeria’s response to oral health challenges.
The senator said lawmakers were pursuing legislative interventions to institutionalise routine oral health screening, early diagnosis of dental infections and specialised training for healthcare professionals.
She also pledged stronger legislative oversight to ensure that approved funds translated into improved services for affected children and families across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
Harry-Banigo called for greater collaboration among state governments, religious organisations, development partners and the media to address stigma, promote proper nutrition and increase public awareness about Noma.
In his goodwill message, the Country Representative of Médecins Sans Frontières, Dr Aldikhari Ahmed, commended the Federal Government for efforts to incorporate Noma into primary healthcare guidelines and the Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System.
He, however, stressed that effective implementation would depend on sustainable funding, functional disease surveillance and stronger healthcare delivery systems.
Ahmed disclosed that MSF’s collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Sokoto State Ministry of Health at the Noma Children’s Hospital had facilitated more than 1,759 major reconstructive surgeries for 1,174 patients through 35 surgical missions.
He added that 114 surgeries were performed on 96 patients in 2026, while 28 Nigerian surgeons and 14 anaesthetists had received specialised training through the partnership.
Also speaking, the World Health Organisation Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr Pavel Ursu, represented by Dr Victor, said Noma predominantly affected malnourished children between the ages of two and six, particularly those living in impoverished communities.
He stressed that early identification and prompt medical intervention could prevent the severe consequences of the disease, calling for improved training of frontline health workers, stronger surveillance and psychosocial support for survivors and their families.
Meanwhile, Dr Adebimpe Adebiyi paid tribute to the late Mama Ute Winkler-Stumpf, founder of Hilfsaktion Noma, for her humanitarian contributions to the treatment and rehabilitation of children affected by the disease.
Adebiyi recalled that the organisation worked with the WHO and Nigerian authorities to establish essential treatment facilities, including the Noma Centre in Abuja, where several children had benefited from free reconstructive surgeries.
She said the late founder’s humanitarian legacy should encourage stakeholders to move beyond isolated medical interventions towards sustainable systems that prioritise prevention, early diagnosis and community awareness.
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