Noma : a neglected oro-facial childhood disease

Abstract

WHO's World Health Assembly 2021 has recognised the impact of certain oral diseases on general health, and consequently the need to incorporate oral health strategies into universal health care, particularly for remote poor rural communities. Noma is an opportunistic, necrotising oro-facial childhood disease prevalent particularly in remote poor rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa, causing gross oral and facial mutilation, and terrible facial disfigurement, requiring complex plastic surgical reconstruction.