Korede Abdullah in Lagos
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to prioritize the elimination of noma disease, a preventable and treatable condition that affects malnourished children and those with weakened immune systems.
According to the Deputy Medical Coordinator of MSF Nigeria, Dr. Peter Ajanson, noma can be prevented with good nutrition, oral hygiene, and access to healthcare and vaccinations against childhood diseases.
Noma starts as gum inflammation but can quickly escalate, leading to the destruction of facial tissues and bones. If left untreated, it can devastate the skin and bones of the face within weeks, resulting in death for approximately 90% of those infected.
Ajanson lamented that people die from this preventable and treatable disease due to lack of knowledge, low early detection, and limited access to affordable antibiotics.
MSF has been supporting the Sokoto Noma Hospital in northwest Nigeria since 2014, providing reconstructive surgery, nutritional support, mental health assistance, and outreach activities.
The organisation’s surgical team has performed 1,481 surgeries on 953 patients over the past 10 years. MSF urges the global health community and donors to prioritize treatment efforts and research to eliminate noma worldwide.
