The World Health Organisation is concerned on the devastating impact of oral diseases such as dental caries, gum disease, and tooth loss, despite advances made in oral health care.
WHO Acting Regional Director for Africa, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu stated that only 17% of the regional population has access to essential oral healthcare services in Africa, with highest number of noma cases, a rapidly progressing, non-contagious gangrenous disease of the mouth that primarily affects young children.
Ihekweazu made this known on Thursday during the 2025 World Oral Health Day; which prioritize oral health as an essential component of overall well-being that is often overlooked.
World Oral Health Day is observed annually on 20 March as a vital opportunity to raise awareness and prioritize oral health – an essential component of overall well-being that is often overlooked.
“The region also has the highest number of noma cases, a rapidly progressing, non-contagious gangrenous disease of the mouth that primarily affects young children. If left untreated, noma has a high fatality rate, and survivors often suffer from life-long impairments, disfigurement, stigma and discrimination.”
He highlighted the risk factors of oral diseases to be tobacco, alcohol, high sugar intake, and socio-economic and commercial determinants with other NCDs such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases, making an integrated approach more effective.
To tackle these challenges, he highlighted that member states endorsed the Regional Oral Health Strategy 2016–2025, integrating oral disease into non-communicable disease prevention and control programmes.
“With the support of partners like Hilfsaktion Noma e.V. and the Borrow Foundation, as well as WHO Collaborating Centres, several countries in the region have taken concrete action: Lesotho, Nigeria and Sierra Leone developed oral health policy documents. Ethiopia and Kenya trained nearly 180 primary care workers and 1200 community health workers using WHO’s online courses on noma and oral health.”
“Ethiopia strengthened its noma surveillance system, identifying cases through active case-finding during onchocerciasis mass drug administration campaigns. A new capacity-building project has been launched in Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia to improve access to WHO-listed dental materials, supported by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare,” he said.
“For example, only 17 per cent of the regional population has access to essential oral health care services. Progress in disease prevention is also slow, including fluoride use and sugar reduction efforts.”
He emphasized that countries must accelerate the implementation of the Global Oral Health Action Plan, WHO convened its first-ever Global Oral Health Meeting in Thailand (November 2024).
He further said there is a need to engage multi-sectoral stakeholders, secure funding through innovative financing mechanisms, such as allocating health tax revenue to oral health, integrate oral health services into national benefits packages, and use a people-centred approach to implementation.
