Noma: Nigeria Gets Second Treatment Centre
In Nigeria, a second treatment center for Noma, one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD), is being constructed at the National Hospital, Abuja, to serve the needs of patients requiring this type of care.
Noma is an infectious disease that rapidly destroys soft tissues and bones around the face, resulting in an awful disfigurement that attracts attention. It progresses rapidly and without treatment, the patient’s condition could become life threatening. Often affecting children between the ages of two and six years, Noma has a mortality rate of up to 90 percent. In addition, it is accompanied by poor health status marked by poverty and malnutrition.
Those who end up surviving it tend to suffer a life-long disfigurement from defects of the face that make eating, speaking and social relationships difficult.
In 1999, a 70-bed Noma children’s hospital was established in Sokoto State, to treat infected patients in that sub-region. It has been the only facility in Nigeria till date, catering to the specific needs of Noma patients and survivors. It was gathered that treatment of survivors there has been with highly specialized reconstructive plastic surgery and it has been free of charge.
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Dr. Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of Health, who laid the groundwork for the construction of the 100 capacity Noma treatment centre in the premises of the National Hospital, Abuja, said that the decision to site the treatment centre at National Hospital was because of its strategic location, and the ease of access to Nigerian Noma patients referred from any part of the country.
He also commended the Medecins Sans Frontieres team otherwise known as Doctors Without Borders, who have been supporting the Noma hospital in Sokoto with its activities programme for a long time, and also founders and trustees of the Nigeria Aids Noma Initiative (NANI) for their desire to establish the second treatment centre.
Ute Winkler Stunpf, a representative of Hilfaskion Noma, gave her appreciation for the support received from the officials of the National Hospital and Federal Ministry of Health, that resulted in the successful take off of the project. She confirmed that her organization has taken the responsibilities of building and equipping of the treatment facilities as well as offering the treatment and support services to Noma patients.
Dr. Jaf Momoh, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the National Hospital, noted that the hospital has all the manpower required for the smooth take off and running of the treatment centre. According to him, “Expectedly, we would be here in next one to commission the treatment facilities and open it up for public use.”
