Nigeria unveils 70 billion naira plan to combat Noma and oral diseases

The Nigerian Federal Government launched a 70 billion Naira National Oral Health Strategic Plan for 2026 to 2030 to expand dental care and eliminate Noma.

Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare Iziaq Adekunle Salako announced the initiative in Abuja during the commemoration of National Noma Day and National Oral Health Day. The plan aims to integrate oral healthcare into primary healthcare services across all 774 local government areas to improve early detection and treatment of the disease.

Salako noted that Nigeria currently faces a severe shortage of dental professionals, with only one dentist available for every 38,000 people compared to the World Health Organisation recommendation of one dentist for every 7,500 people. The government plans to use the new framework to launch school-based programs, increase access to fluoride toothpaste, and introduce sugar-reduction initiatives. The Federal Executive Council also approved the National Centre for Oral Health Establishment Bill 2026 for consideration by the National Assembly.

The strategy includes training frontline health workers, traditional healers, and traditional birth attendants in 19 states to identify early signs of oral diseases. While the government seeks to improve infrastructure and referral systems, Médecins Sans Frontières noted that these efforts require sustainable funding and functional surveillance systems to succeed. The plan also targets the prevention of facial disfigurement and death in malnourished children, particularly in the North-West and North-East regions of Nigeria.