Noma: Treating a disease that belongs in the past
At a unique hospital in Sokoto, northern Nigeria, an MSF team works to treat and rehabilitate patients for noma - a little-known but devastating disease.
The often deadly infection can leave those who do survive with complex facial deformities. People may struggle to eat, drink or speak, while many become outcasts within their communities.
As we mark World Neglected Tropical Disease Day on 30 January, in this video anaesthetist Elma Wong and surgeon Jacob Legbo reflect on an incredible Nigerian project that recently celebrated 10 years of life-saving care.
A neglected tropical disease
In 2023, noma was officially included on the World Health Organization's list of neglected tropical diseases. This move, after years of campaigning by organisations such as MSF, has opened up better access to funding and resources to treat the devastating condition.
However, the work is far from over. MSF continues to support noma survivors through three main focuses: improving early detection and treatment, pushing for further research into the causes of noma, and advocating that the global health community backs up efforts to eliminate the disease.
MSF and noma
Noma is a facial gangrene infection that affects children in particular. Its name comes from the Greek word “nomē”, meaning "to devour". The disease starts in the mouth and eats away the facial tissue, leaving survivors with severe disfigurements. These can cause life-threatening impairments and crippling social stigma.