Nigeria Targets Noma Elimination as FG Unveils ₦70bn Oral Health Plan
…Over 80% of Nigerians Have Never Visited Dentist, Says Health Minister
The Federal Government has unveiled a five-year National Oral Health Strategic Plan estimated at ₦70 billion, as part of efforts to eliminate Noma, expand access to dental services and strengthen oral healthcare delivery across Nigeria.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, disclosed this on Monday at the 2026 National Noma Day and National Oral Health Day celebration held at Reiz Continental Hotel, Abuja.
Speaking at the event, Salako said the National Oral Health Strategic Plan 2026–2030 was designed to address longstanding gaps in oral healthcare and ensure that essential dental services become accessible through the country’s primary healthcare system.
He explained that oral health remained an important component of overall wellbeing and Universal Health Coverage, stressing that it must no longer be neglected in Nigeria’s healthcare delivery framework.
The minister expressed concern over the prevalence of Noma, particularly in the North-West and North-East, describing the disease as preventable but capable of causing severe facial disfigurement, disability and death, especially among malnourished children.
He noted that the WHO’s recognition of Noma as a Neglected Tropical Disease in 2023 had strengthened global attention towards tackling the condition.
Providing an insight into the country’s oral healthcare challenges, Salako said available figures showed that over 80 per cent of Nigerians had never visited a dentist, while two-thirds of Nigerian children suffered from untreated dental caries.
He further disclosed that Nigeria’s dentist-to-population ratio was approximately 1:38,000, significantly below the WHO recommendation of one dentist to 7,500 people.
To reverse the situation, the government is integrating oral health services into Primary Healthcare through the Sector-Wide Approach and Basic Health Care Provision Fund.
Salako revealed that Noma surveillance had already been incorporated into the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response system, while healthcare workers, traditional healers and traditional birth attendants had received training across 19 states to improve early identification and referral of suspected cases.
He also announced that the Federal Executive Council had approved the National Centre for Oral Health Establishment Bill 2026, which had been transmitted to the National Assembly for legislative consideration.
According to the minister, the ₦70 billion strategic plan will focus on preventive dental services, school-based oral health programmes, access to fluoride toothpaste, reduction of sugar consumption and the integration of oral healthcare into maternal and child health, nutrition and non-communicable disease programmes.
Other priority areas include training more oral health personnel, equitable distribution of dental professionals, upgrading primary healthcare facilities and strengthening referral systems to ensure that Nigerians across the 774 local government areas have access to dental services.
He called on state and local governments to adopt the strategic plan and work with development partners, professional associations and other stakeholders to achieve its objectives.
Salako also commended organisations and individuals supporting the fight against Noma, particularly Médecins Sans Frontières, Noma Aid Nigeria Initiative and Noma Children’s Hospital, Sokoto.
He assured Nigerians that the government remained committed to ensuring that no child dies or suffers permanent disfigurement from a preventable Noma infection.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom S. mni, represented by Dr. Dogara Okara, said strengthening the capacity of frontline healthcare workers would be central to the implementation of the strategic plan.
She explained that community health workers and primary healthcare personnel would be equipped to recognise oral diseases, educate communities on preventive practices, identify suspected Noma cases and facilitate prompt referrals.
The Permanent Secretary stressed that effective implementation would depend on sustained partnerships involving government agencies, development partners, professional bodies, academic institutions, private sector organisations and local communities.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, pledged the National Assembly’s support for policies and legislation that would strengthen oral healthcare delivery.
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 interventions in the country’s fight against Noma.
Harry-Banigo said lawmakers were pursuing legislative measures to make routine oral health screening, early diagnosis of dental infections and specialised training an integral part of healthcare delivery.
She also called for stronger collaboration among state governments, religious leaders, development partners and the media to tackle stigma, improve nutrition and increase public awareness.
On his part, the Country Representative of Médecins Sans Frontières, Dr. Aldikhari Ahmed, said sustainable funding, functional surveillance systems and effective implementation were necessary to achieve meaningful progress in eliminating Noma.
He disclosed that MSF’s partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Sokoto State Ministry of Health had supported 35 surgical missions, during which more than 1,759 major reconstructive surgeries were performed on 1,174 patients.
Ahmed added that 96 patients benefited from 114 surgeries in 2026, while 28 Nigerian surgeons and 14 anaesthetists had undergone specialised training through the collaboration.
The WHO Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Pavel Ursu, represented by Dr. Victor, explained that Noma mainly affects malnourished children aged between two and six, particularly those in poor communities.
He called for improved disease surveillance, stronger capacity among frontline health workers and adequate psychosocial support for survivors and their families.
Also, Dr. Adebimpe Adebiyi mni, honoured the humanitarian contributions of the late Mama Ute Winkler-Stumpf, founder of Hilfsaktion Noma, recalling her organisation’s role in supporting the establishment of treatment infrastructure, including the Noma Centre in Abuja.
She said the late humanitarian’s legacy should encourage stakeholders to prioritise prevention, early diagnosis and community awareness rather than relying solely on clinical interventions.
The event brought together government officials, lawmakers, healthcare professionals, development partners and organisations working to improve oral health and eliminate Noma in Nigeria.
