PROTOCOL
It is my pleasure to warmly welcome you to the 2025 National Oral Health and NOMA Week. This annual observance provides us with an important opportunity to reaffirm our collective commitment to improving oral health outcomes in Nigeria and, more importantly, to rally action toward eliminating Noma — one of the most devastating yet preventable diseases affecting our most vulnerable populations.
- The theme of this year’s celebration, “Ending Noma through Strengthening Intersectoral and Global Cooperation,” captures both the urgency of our task and the pathway to lasting solutions. Noma is not merely a medical condition; it is a stark indicator of extreme poverty, malnutrition, inadequate sanitation, limited access to healthcare, and social vulnerability. Its eradication requires more than clinical intervention — it demands coordinated action across nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), education, social protection, and community empowerment.
- Through the Oral Health Division, the Ministry continues to advance targeted interventions that strengthen oral health integration into the primary healthcare system. We are building the capacity of oral health professionals, providing essential equipment to improve service readiness, and expanding community-based sensitisation to drive prevention and early detection. These efforts align with our commitment to Universal Health Coverage and the implementation of the National Oral Health Policy, ensuring that oral health services are accessible, affordable, and sustainable for all Nigerians.
- Today also offers us a moment to reflect on the progress we have made. Nigeria played a pivotal role in achieving the historic recognition of Noma as a Neglected Tropical Disease by the World Health Organization in 2023, a milestone that continues to galvanise global attention, research, and resource mobilisation for affected communities.
- We owe much of this progress to the steadfast support of our partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the Noma Aid Nigeria Initiative (NANI), and several civil society organisations, professional bodies, and frontline health workers. Your dedication is critical to ensuring that no child suffers needlessly from a disease that can – and must – be prevented.
- As we commence this week’s activities, I encourage all stakeholders to deepen collaboration, share innovations, and renew commitments toward interventions that are evidence-based, community-driven, and sustainable. Together, we can accelerate Nigeria’s progress toward achieving the WHO roadmap for Noma and ensuring equitable oral health for all.
- On behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, I welcome you once again and wish us all productive deliberations and impactful engagements throughout the week.
- Thank you.
