By Muhammad Amaan
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, has urged Nigeria to integrate noma prevention, early detection, treatment and surveillance into primary healthcare.
Mr Ajamah Samuel, MSF Nursing Activity Manager at Noma Hospital, Sokoto, made the call while addressing journalists in Sokoto on Monday.
He advocated stronger awareness campaigns, improved training for frontline healthcare workers and effective referral systems to ensure timely and appropriate treatment.
Dr Samuel described noma as a non-contagious but rapidly progressing disease that destroys facial tissues and bones, causing severe disfigurement and potentially life-threatening complications.
“Between 70 and 90 per cent of people affected by the disease die if they do not receive appropriate treatment,” he said.
Samuel explained that noma primarily affected children below seven years, particularly those living in extreme poverty and underserved communities.
He identified malnutrition, poor oral hygiene, recurrent infections and limited healthcare access as factors increasing children’s vulnerability to the disease.
He said the World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised noma as a Neglected Tropical Disease in 2023, but it remained largely absent from routine healthcare services and child health programmes.
According to him, the recognition marks an important milestone but requires practical investments in prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and comprehensive patient care.
“Noma is preventable and treatable. No child should suffer or die from a disease that can be detected early and effectively managed,” he added.
The MSF official called for noma’s inclusion in routine disease surveillance systems, alongside essential medicines, nutritional support and effective referral pathways to specialised treatment centres.
He also urged authorities to strengthen community awareness and equip healthcare workers with the knowledge and skills to recognise early signs of the disease.
Samuel observed that many patients visited several health facilities before receiving the correct diagnosis, losing valuable time for potentially life-saving treatment.
He described noma as both a medical condition and an indicator of wider inequalities in access to primary healthcare, nutrition, immunisation and other essential services.
He said survivors often experienced difficulties eating, speaking and breathing, alongside psychological distress, stigma, social exclusion and barriers to education and livelihood opportunities.
Samuel stressed that comprehensive care should extend beyond medical treatment to include nutritional rehabilitation, physiotherapy, psychosocial support and reconstructive surgery.
He said MSF had supported Noma Hospital, Sokoto, in collaboration with the state Ministry of Health since 2014, providing medical treatment and comprehensive patient care.
Between 2014 and 2025, MSF teams performed 1,645 reconstructive surgeries on 1,078 patients, he disclosed.
He added that 1,034 patients received medical treatment and support in 2025, including surgery, nutritional care, physiotherapy and psychosocial services.
Samuel said 55 reconstructive surgeries were performed during the first surgical intervention of 2026, held between April 17 and May 1.
He added that the hospital’s final surgical intervention for 2026 was ongoing, with 40 patients expected to undergo reconstructive surgery.
He urged governments and relevant stakeholders to strengthen primary healthcare, improve nutrition and immunisation coverage, and ensure vulnerable children could access essential medicines and specialised care.
“Recognition of noma as a Neglected Tropical Disease was an important step, but recognition alone is not enough. We now need practical investment in prevention, early diagnosis and access to care,” he stated.
Samuel called for sustained collaboration among government agencies, healthcare providers, community leaders and development partners to improve early detection and prevent avoidable deaths and disabilities.
