The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is working assiduously to ensure that oral health is fully integrated into Nigeria’s primary healthcare system; with Primary Health Centres (PHCs) mandated to provide oral hygiene education, counselling, essential diagnostics, fluoride treatment, restorative services and referrals where necessary.
The reorganisation and expansion of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) will also make more funds available to improve access to oral healthcare, especially for vulnerable populations.
This formed the central message in the keynote address delivered by the Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, at the commemoration of the 2025 National Oral Health Week, Noma Awareness Day and Scientific Workshop, held on Tuesday in Abuja,
Emphasizing on the theme: “Ending Noma through Strengthening Intersectoral and Global Cooperation”, Dr. Salako stressed that oral health is a fundamental component of overall wellbeing, quoting the World Health Organization’s position that “there is no health without oral health.” He noted that millions of Nigerians, particularly children and the elderly, continue to suffer from preventable oral conditions such as dental caries, periodontal disease and oral cancers, undermining dignity, productivity and quality of life.
He drew attention to the devastating impact of noma, a rapidly progressing gangrenous disease that mostly affects malnourished children living in extreme poverty and poor sanitary conditions.
According to him, Nigeria falls within the noma belt in sub-Saharan Africa, with the North-West region bearing a heavy burden due to poverty, malnutrition, poor oral hygiene and weak surveillance systems leading to late diagnosis and avoidable deaths.
To address this, the Minister announced that dental facilities across the country would be upgraded and equipped, while more dental professionals would be employed at the primary care level. He added that community health workers, primary healthcare staff and traditional birth attendants are being trained to identify and refer cases of oral diseases, including noma, cleft lip and cleft palate, for comprehensive and often free treatment.
He also highlighted the Federal Government’s commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, referencing the establishment of the Noma Centre in Abuja and the Noma Children’s Hospital in Sokoto State; where patients are treated and rehabilitated at no cost. He called for a whole-of-society approach involving investments in nutrition, water and sanitation, housing, immunisation and maternal and child health, stressing that “noma is not just a medical failure, but a societal inadequacy.”
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom mni, described Noma as one of the most devastating yet preventable diseases. She said the 2025 theme, “Ending Noma through Strengthening Intersectoral and Global Cooperation,” underscores the need for coordinated efforts across sectors such as nutrition, WASH, education, social protection and community development.
The Permanent Secretary noted that Nigeria played a pivotal role in the successful recognition of Noma as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) by the WHO in 2023- a milestone that has helped to mobilise global attention, funding and research. She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to integrating oral health into primary healthcare, expanding workforce capacity and ensuring that services remain accessible, affordable and sustainable for all Nigerians.
Speaking on behalf of the Noma Aid Nigeria Initiative (NANI), its Chairman, Mr. Mathis Winkler, reaffirmed the organisation’s continued commitment to working with Nigeria in the fight against noma. He revealed that over 200 noma survivors have received treatment at the Noma treatment centre in Abuja, many of them requiring complex microvascular surgery due to severe facial disfigurement.
He paid tribute to his late mother, a long-time champion in the fight against noma, and commended Nigeria for being at the forefront of awareness and prevention efforts, noting that Nigeria’s National Noma Day is the only one of its kind globally. He pledged NANI’s continued partnership in research, prevention and surgical interventions.
Country representative of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Frontier Medicine, highlighted MSF’s long-standing collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, particularly at the Noma Hospital in Sokoto. He disclosed that since 2014, more than 1,600 reconstructive surgeries have been carried out for over 1,000 patients through multiple surgical missions, with 99 surgeries performed on 89 patients in 2025 alone.
He noted that MSF had also trained 28 Nigerian surgeons and 14 anaesthetists, building sustainable local capacity to manage noma cases. He emphasized the importance of strengthening community awareness, early screening, frontline worker training and integrating noma surveillance into both public and private healthcare systems, while calling for increased domestic and international funding to sustain progress.
Also speaking, the President of the Nigeria Dental Association (NDA), Dr. Elias Emedom reaffirmed the association’s commitment to oral health awareness, prevention and professional development. He explained that NDA has remained at the forefront of community sensitisation, early diagnosis and advocacy for noma eradication, especially in underserved populations.
He highlighted the participation of Nigerian oral health professionals in international engagements, including the World Dental Conference in Shanghai, China, which strengthened global partnerships and knowledge exchange. Dr. Emedom further advocated for the full integration of the National Oral Health Policy into primary healthcare and improved working conditions for health professionals to curb brain drain in the sector.
The event brought together government officials, development partners, healthcare professionals, civil society organisations and international agencies, all united in a renewed commitment to eliminate noma and strengthen oral healthcare across Nigeria.
As the week-long commemoration continues, stakeholders reiterated that no Nigerian child should suffer or die from a disease that is entirely preventable, and pledged to intensify collaboration, research, awareness and service delivery to safeguard the smiles, dignity and future of every Nigerian.
Alaba Balogun
Deputy Director/ Head, Information
& Information Public Relations
2 December 2025
