News Excerpt:

The World Health Organization (WHO) added one of the world’s most underrecognised health challenges, noma, to its official list of neglected tropical diseases (NTD).

About:

• It is also known as cancrum oris or gangrenous stomatitis, is a severe gangrenous disease of the mouth and face.
• The name of the disease comes from the Greek word “nomē”, meaning “to devour”, as noma eats away facial tissue and bones if not treated early.
• It begins with gum inflammation and is thought to be caused by bacteria found in the mouth.
• It mainly affects children aged 2-6 years old and is found most commonly among those living in poor communities.
• The disease's 'hidden' or neglected nature is most likely due to its impact on the world's most marginalized children.
• Noma is associated with extreme poverty, malnutrition, and poor access to sanitation, weakened immune systems, infections and oral hygiene with a mortality rate of approximately 90%.
• The disease is also called the ‘face of poverty’, as effective drugs like sulfonamides and penicillin and adequate surgical treatment for the effects remain inaccessible for many due to extreme poverty.
• NTD is frequently seen in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where it occurs almost exclusively among poor children aged 3-10 years.
• There are no reliable numbers of cases — the WHO website lists the ‘latest’ estimates 140,000 cases per year and a prevalence of 770,000 cases.
• However, the data dates back to 1998.
• Prevention and Cure:
• The spread of noma can be slowed significantly with basic hygiene, antibiotics, and nutritional rehabilitation like rehydration, correction of electrolytic imbalances, and administering nutritional supplements.

Conclusion:

• The recognition of noma as an NTD aims to amplify global awareness, catalyse research, stimulate funding, and boost efforts to control the disease through multisectoral and multi-pronged approaches.
• Interventions addressing the burden of this devastating disease will contribute to achieving universal health coverage, as they will specifically target pockets of underserved populations.