Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), in collaboration with the Sokoto State Ministry of Health, have offered free facial surgeries to 1,074 indigent patients from 2014 to 2025.
The Head of Mission Operation and Protect Coordinator, Mr Joseph Alick, disclosed this at the 9th Noma Day celebration with the theme ” Ending Noma through Strengthening Intersectoral and Global Cooperation” on Thursday in Sokoto.
Noma is a bacterial infection that begins as an inflammation of the gums but quickly spreads, affecting the soft tissues of the cheek destroying facial tissues.
It can affect the bones of the face and leave survivors with severe facial disfigurement within two weeks.
Alick said the facility being supported by MSF had conducted treatment to about 1,600 patients consisting of major facial reconstructive surgeries, physiotherapy sessions, mental health, and psychosocial supports.
He highlighted that most Noma cases were recorded in the northern parts of Nigeria with some cases from other parts.
”The children suffering from malnutrition and isolated communities with inadequate healthcare, poor vaccinations access, measles, malaria, and malnutrition are most vulnerable to the disease.
”Those that survive Noma either live with the long-term effects of the disease or undergo extensive reconstructive surgery to improve their equality of life,” he said.
He emphasized the need for more awareness on Noma disease at all levels, enhanced surveillance system to provide the right data, research to harness policy framework, as well as immunisation and malnutrition services.
Alick further called for more community mobilisation and awareness, training of healthcare workers on the field because Noma is a preventable disease, but children are still affected due to ignorance, poverty, and access to early care.
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Noma leads to a high mortality rate, stigmatization of survivors due to slow implementation of national Noma plan, and lack of adequate funding aimed at controlling noma.
More Community Engagement
The Medical Team Lead (MTL), Mr Menesbo Gormey, dwelled on the MSF activities at different levels, stressing the need for more community engagements on tracking Noma cases for early treatment.
Gormey noted that Noma is a preventable disease through enhancing the right immunization and nutrition services. He stressed the need for people to utilize available food supplements on their children, especially in the early ages.
He underscored the importance of integrating Noma into a community health campaign as measures were on process to integrate Noma activities into the existing structures of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
According to him, the development followed the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) listing of Noma among the NTDs adding that the integration would focus on areas such as active case search, psychosocial support, peer group support programme, livelihood support, and anti-stigma campaign.
The Chief Medical Director of Noma Hospital, Dr Abubakar Abdullahi, said that the people afflicted with Noma disease symptoms, needed care and treatment as well as good living after treatment.
“This includes training healthcare workers, traditional healers, and community mobilisation officers to ensure early detection, treatment, and referral of oral diseases and Noma cases,” he said.
He explained that the revised National Oral Health Policy and Noma Policy and the Strategic Plan have positioned the Dentistry Division to lead in managing and preventing oral health diseases.
In his remarks, Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Mr Faruk Wurno, commended MSF and other donors for supporting the state and assured more collaboration towards implementing the programme in order to achieve the desired results.
NAN