Have you heard about Noma disease? Not quite sure.
Well, Noma is a fatal disease that occurs in young, malnourished children between ages two to six years and it destroys their facial tissues and bones.
The good news is that the federal ministry of health has begun an initiative to ensure early detection of the disease with the training of health workers in Abia State to take the message of prevention to the rural areas.
Organizers say the training is aimed at equipping health workers to know how to identify the disease and make proper referral very early.
Noma usually begins as an ulcer on gums and spreads rapidly into the cheeks and soft tissues of the face.
The head of Noma center, Abuja, Charles Ononiwu, says the disease if detected early can be treated but if not, within two weeks 90% of children that have this disease die and the remaining 10% that live have horrible facial disfigurement.
Currently there is no confirmed cases of Noma in Abia State but the disease is commonly seen in the north western region of the country.
(Editor : Ena Agbanoma)
