By Fatima Saka
The Federal Government has unveiled a five-year, ₦70 billion National Oral Health Strategic Plan aimed at eliminating Noma, expanding access to dental services and integrating oral healthcare into Primary Healthcare Centres across the country.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, announced this on Monday in Abuja during the commemoration of National Noma Day and National Oral Health Day, where he officially launched the National Oral Health Strategic Plan 2026–2030.
Salako said the plan was designed to address Nigeria’s growing oral health challenges, particularly the high burden of Noma, a preventable disease that causes severe facial disfigurement, disability and death, especially among malnourished children.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring that no Nigerian child suffers preventable death or permanent disfigurement from the disease.
The minister disclosed that more than 80 per cent of Nigerians had never visited a dentist, while two out of every three children lived with untreated dental caries.
He also identified the shortage of dental professionals as a major challenge, noting that Nigeria currently had approximately one dentist to 38,000 people, compared with the World Health Organisation’s recommended ratio of one to 7,500.
According to him, the strategic plan will prioritise preventive oral healthcare, school-based programmes, access to fluoride toothpaste, sugar-reduction initiatives and the integration of oral health services into maternal and child healthcare, nutrition and non-communicable disease programmes.
He explained that the government would also strengthen the training and equitable distribution of oral health personnel, improve primary healthcare infrastructure and referral systems, and expand access to dental services across all 774 local government areas.
Salako said the initiative would be implemented through the Sector-Wide Approach and Basic Health Care Provision Fund to make oral healthcare more affordable and accessible.
On efforts to eliminate Noma, the minister disclosed that surveillance of the disease had been integrated into the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response system, while frontline healthcare workers, traditional healers and traditional birth attendants had been trained across 19 states to identify early signs of the disease and facilitate prompt referrals.
He described the World Health Organisation’s recognition of Noma as a Neglected Tropical Disease in 2023 as an important milestone in efforts to tackle the condition.
The minister further announced that the Federal Executive Council had approved the National Centre for Oral Health Establishment Bill 2026 and transmitted it to the National Assembly for consideration.
He urged state and local governments to domesticate and implement the strategic plan, while calling on development partners, including WHO, UNICEF and the FDI World Dental Federation, to sustain their support.
In her welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom S. mni, represented by her Senior Technical Assistant, Dr Dogara Okara, said strengthening the capacity of frontline healthcare workers remained central to improving oral health services.
She explained that community health workers and primary healthcare personnel would be equipped with the skills to identify oral diseases, provide basic health education, promote preventive practices and facilitate timely referrals.
Kachollom stressed that effective implementation of the plan would require sustained collaboration among government institutions, development partners, professional associations, private sector organisations, academic institutions and communities.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to making oral healthcare an integral part of routine healthcare delivery.
She identified the Noma Children’s Hospital in Sokoto, the Intercountry Centre in Jos and the ongoing retrofitting of dental centres across federal university teaching hospitals as important components of Nigeria’s response to oral health challenges.
The senator said the National Assembly was pursuing legislative measures to institutionalise routine oral health screening, early diagnosis of dental infections and specialised training.
She also pledged stronger legislative oversight to ensure that appropriated funds translated into tangible healthcare services for affected children and families across the six geopolitical zones.
In his goodwill message, the Country Representative of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Dr Aldikhari Ahmed, called for sustainable funding, functional surveillance systems and effective implementation of government policies to achieve meaningful progress in eliminating Noma.
Ahmed disclosed that MSF’s collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Sokoto State Ministry of Health at the Noma Children’s Hospital had facilitated more than 1,759 major reconstructive surgeries for 1,174 patients through 35 surgical missions.
He added that 114 surgeries had been performed on 96 patients in 2026, while 28 Nigerian surgeons and 14 anaesthetists had received specialised training through the partnership.
Similarly, the World Health Organisation Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr Pavel Ursu, represented by Dr Victor, said Noma primarily affected malnourished children between the ages of two and six, particularly those living in impoverished communities.
He stressed that early detection and prompt treatment could prevent the devastating consequences of the disease, calling for improved capacity among frontline health workers, stronger surveillance systems and psychosocial support for survivors and their families.
Also speaking, Dr Adebimpe Adebiyi mni, paid tribute to the late Mama Ute Winkler-Stumpf, founder of Hilfsaktion Noma, for her contributions to the treatment and rehabilitation of children affected by the disease.
Adebiyi recalled that the organisation worked with WHO and Nigerian authorities to establish critical treatment infrastructure, including the Noma Centre in Abuja, where several children had benefited from free reconstructive surgeries.
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She urged stakeholders to build on the humanitarian legacy by prioritising prevention, early diagnosis and community awareness rather than relying solely on clinical interventions.
Salako commended MSF, Noma Aid Nigeria Initiative, the Noma Children’s Hospital, Sokoto, Colgate, healthcare professionals, researchers and other development partners for their contributions to Noma prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and public awareness.
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