Health minister tasks stakeholders on Noma disease

Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole has advised stakeholders to continue to work together towards tackling Noma in the country.

He gave the advice yesterday during the commemoration of the National Noma Day organised by the ministry in collaboration with Medecins Sans Frontieres and the World Health Organization (WHO) in Abuja.

He said Noma is a gangrenous infection of soft tissue around the mouth, which mostly affects younger persons with poor oral hygiene and predisposing serious illness.

The minister said that while epidemiological data on Noma was still scarce, it is estimated that about 30,000 to 40,000 cases occur globally per year.

“The elimination of Noma in Nigeria, and by extension the West African sub-region, is a task for all stakeholders and will involve the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in respect of surveillance, National Orientation Agency in respect of health promotion and awareness creation, as well as dental professionals and other healthcare providers in management and rehabilitation of the affected,” he said.

Prof Adewole said in the acute stage, Noma could be managed relatively easily by administering antibiotics, which may prevent or limit the extent of gangrene.

WHO Nigeria Country Director, Dr Clement Lugala Peter, said an effective control of Noma requires a multisectoral approach.

Represented by Dr Rex Mapazanje, Dr Peter said that the integration of Noma activities into other key programs such as maternal and child health, vaccination, and nutrition, among others within the Ministry of Health is also critical to controlling this scourge.