What is NOMA?

Cancrum Oris.

Noma is found almost exclusively in malnourished children in the poorest countries. It is a vicious and deadly gangrene that eats away the flesh around the mouth and face of children aged mainly up to 6 years. It is estimated that 70 - 90% of these children die but for those who survive, there is the tragic situation where their faces are so disfigured that they are rejected by their societies. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that up to 500,000 children are victims of Noma and that over 100,000 aged 2 - 6 contract Noma every year.

Most cases of Noma start with ulcers on the gums. From there, the disease spreads; the mouth becomes sore and cheeks or lips become tender and swell. This causes the child considerable pain and within a few days the facial flesh starts to decay. As the gangrene destroys the flesh (sometimes even bones) a scab forms and eventually falls off leaving a gaping hole in the face. In infancy, the lips are often eaten away thus preventing the child from breast feeding. Once facila decomposition has set in, 4 out of 5 children will die if they do not reach an hospital in time and as most of the victims live in abject poverty and in remote villages, medical treatment is not a consideration. The survivors will carry grotesque disfigurment for the rest of their lives. Most will not be able to eat or speak normally.

What is being done?

The French, Germans, Swiss, Italians, Danes, Dutch and Americans are helping with non-governmental organisations in repairing the damage done to young victims. In England, Chris Lawrence is the Chairman of Facing Africa. So far, Noma is relatively unknown and it is the aim to inform as many people as possible of the ravages of this dreadful disease. There are currently 4 trips a year to Sokoto.  A team of medical volunteers, usually 2 maxillofacial surgeons, an anaethetist and 2 scrub nurses spend two weeks in the hospital treating victims of Noma as well as carrying out more routine operations such as cleft lip.  During the last trip, over a 100 operations were carried out during the visit with local staff able to contine the post-operative care after the departure of the team. Each trip saves many lives and gives a new life to children previously too disabled to lead a normal life.

• To make NOMA visible
• Funding vital medical trips to our specialist hospital in Sokoto, Nigeria
• Providing free care, surgery and after-care to all victims of Noma
• Increasing awareness of Noma both in the affected regions of Africa - in order to increase prevention - and abroad

Yes. Noma can be prevented, it can be cured and to a degree, its after-effects can be repaired.

The long term aim is to provide funds for the prevention of this ghastly disease.

• Setting up information and education programmes to make parents aware of the signs of Noma
• Training health care workers to detect the disease and give emergency care
• Financing research into the causes and treatment of Noma
• Financing health services in treating victims locally
• Ensuring that the essential anti-septics, drugs and nutritional supplements are available.