Nigeria Records High Noma Burden as FG Unveils N70bn Oral Health Plan.
The government also revealed that more than 80 per cent of Nigerians have never visited a dentist, while two out of every three children live with untreated dental caries.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr.
Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made this known yesterday in Abuja during the commemoration of National Noma Day and National Oral Health Day, where he unveiled the National Oral Health Strategic Plan 2026–2030.
The five-year strategic plan, which requires an estimated N70 billion for implementation, is designed to improve access to affordable oral healthcare, strengthen preventive services and integrate dental care into the country’s primary healthcare system. Salako described Noma, a rapidly progressing infection that destroys the tissues of the mouth and face, as a preventable disease that should have no place in the 21st century. He explained that the disease often begins as a gum infection in malnourished and immunocompromised children but could progress within days to severe facial disfigurement, disability and death if not treated promptly. “Noma is a disease that should have no place in the twenty-first century.
MSEApp News is publishing an original rewrite of this tip for readers, based on reporting associated with THISDAY.