From TCNEWS
Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers, COMOs of the National Orientation Agency and Traditional Healers from the 17 LGAs of Abia State have been engaged in a one day National Training of Trainers (Social Actors) on Cancrum oris or NOMA ( a rapidly-progressive and often-fatal gangrenous infection of the mouth and face) control in Nigeria.

Declaring the workshop open at the Sun Heaven Hotel and Resort, Umuahia, Dr. Gloria Uzoigwe, of the Dentistry division from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Abuja charged the COMOs and the Traditional Healers to take NOMA message to the rural communities, identify people with NOMA and refer them to NOMA AID NIGERIA INITIATIVE (NANI).
Speaking also, Dr. Charles Ononaiwe, the National Coordinator of NOMA AID NIGERIA INITIATIVE (NANI) informed participants to the workshop that NOMA disease is not cancer rather an infection if detected early can be prevented through normal oral hygiene, especially constant cleaning of the mouth.
Ononaiwe who advocated that children should be properly taken care of to boost their immune system, stressed that NOMA is caused as a result of compromised immunity and also called for prompt referrals if detected.

In her lecture entitled, “The role of National Orientation Agency in Social Mobilisation to raise awareness about NOMA disease”, the Director Peace Education and Mass Mobilisation NOA National Headquarters Mrs Theresa Madueke charged the Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers of the seventeen LGAs of the state, to utilize all platforms available to sensitize the masses about NOMA disease.
She said NOA has a robust platform and strength to reach all the nooks and crannies of the country.
In her speech, the State Director National Orientation Agency (NOA) Abia State Directorate Mrs Regina Iroha, commended the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the NOMA AID Nigeria Initiative (NANI) for organizing the sensitisation programme.
She charged the COMOs as the foot-soldiers of the Agency to utilize every NOA platform available like community engagements, visits to schools and churches to reach the people at the grassroot for proper sensitisation.

Mrs Iroha charged the COMOs to make NOMA messages be at the front burner and be incorporated in all messages to reach the people at the rural communities.
In his lecture understanding what is NOMA, Dr Mustapher Abubakar stressed the importance of early detection, observing the signs and symptoms of the disease.
He said NOMA is mostly seen in sub Saharan Africa which can mainly be seen among children between the 2 to 6 years of age and in rare cases can be seen in children up to 17 years or in adults.

Also, Mrs Yemi Alajede, reiterated the importance of oral health and its role in NOMA Control and prevention.
She called for regular and proper brushing of teeth among children and adults as one of the means to prevent NOMA disease.

In their remarks, the Traditional Healers who participated at the programme commended the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and NOMA AID NIGERIA INITIATIVE (NANI) for recognizing the traditional healers and pledge to refer any identified patient to NOMA Specialist centre for treatment.