MSF Urges FG To Integrate Noma Care Into Primary Healthcare

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has urged the Federal Government and other stakeholders to integrate noma prevention, diagnosis and treatment into Nigeria’s primary healthcare system to enable early detection and reduce deaths and disabilities among children.

The organisation warned that the absence of noma from routine child health programmes and gaps in grassroots healthcare delivery continue to expose vulnerable children, particularly those in impoverished and underserved communities, to the devastating effects of the disease.

MSF made the call as the Sokoto State Ministry of Health’s Noma Hospital, supported by the organisation, began its final surgical intervention phase for 2026, targeting 40 patients for reconstructive procedures.

Noma is a non-contagious disease that rapidly destroys facial tissues and bones. Left untreated, it has a reported mortality rate of between 70 and 90 per cent, while survivors may experience lasting difficulties with eating, speaking and breathing, as well as psychological distress and social stigma.

Speaking on the need to strengthen access to care, MSF Nursing Activity Manager at the Noma Hospital, Sokoto, Samuel Ajamah, said early detection and treatment could prevent deaths and severe facial disfigurement.
“Noma is preventable and treatable. No child should suffer or die from a disease that can be detected early and effectively managed,” he said.
Ajamah explained that cases detected at an early stage could be treated with basic antibiotics, wound care, nutritional rehabilitation and management of underlying health conditions.

He said the World Health Organisation’s classification of noma as a Neglected Tropical Disease in 2023 was an important step, but stressed that recognition must be followed by practical investments in prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

“Recognition of noma as a Neglected Tropical Disease was an important step, but recognition alone is not enough. We now need practical investment in prevention, early diagnosis, and access to care,” he said.

Ajamah described noma as a marker of inequality, noting that its prevention required stronger primary healthcare services, improved nutrition, better immunisation coverage and greater access to healthcare in underserved communities.

The disease predominantly affects children under seven, particularly those living in conditions associated with extreme poverty, malnutrition, low immunisation coverage and poor oral hygiene.

MSF said limited awareness of noma at the community level often resulted in patients visiting several health facilities that lacked the capacity to identify or manage the disease, delaying treatment and reducing their chances of avoiding severe complications.

To address the gaps, the organisation called for noma prevention, diagnosis and treatment to be incorporated into primary healthcare services, alongside training for frontline health workers and public awareness campaigns.

It also advocated the inclusion of noma in national disease surveillance systems, the establishment of effective referral pathways linking rural communities to specialised centres, and the reliable supply of essential medicines and nutritional support.

MSF has supported the Sokoto Noma Hospital since 2014. Between 2014 and 2025, its surgical teams carried out 1,645 reconstructive operations on 1,078 patients.

In 2025, 1,034 patients received comprehensive care, including surgery, nutritional support, physiotherapy and mental health services. A surgical intervention conducted between April and May 2026 resulted in 55 procedures.

The latest surgical phase is expected to provide reconstructive treatment for 40 patients, as MSF renews its call for stronger integration of noma care into the country’s primary healthcare system.