Accelerating Efforts to Address Oral Health Diseases in Africa

African ministers of health have endorsed a framework to combat oral health diseases, which affect around 42% of the region's population. The framework aims for 50% of each country's population to have access to essential oral health services, a 10% reduction in major oral diseases, and the integration of noma into national health strategies in 50% of noma-endemic countries. The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, emphasized the urgent need for countries to prioritize oral health, ensuring adequate financing, workforce, and leadership to protect and promote health.

Key Takeaways:

• The framework aims for at least 50% of each country's population to be entitled to essential oral health services, including preventive measures such as fluoride toothpaste and silver diamine fluoride.
• The framework seeks a 10% reduction in the prevalence of major oral diseases and aims for 60% of countries to have national oral health policies with dedicated budgets and staff by 2028.
• The framework emphasizes the need to integrate oral health into essential health service packages, strengthen leadership and financing through partnerships, and close the health workforce gaps through task-sharing.
• Only four countries had national fluoride guidelines in 2023, and the region faces a severe shortage of oral health workers, with just 3.7 per 100,000 people, far below the estimated requirement of 13.3 per 100,000 needed to meet service demand.
• Fourteen countries are leading efforts to secure WHO recognition of noma as a neglected tropical disease.
• In Mauritius, the tax on toothpaste has been abolished to improve access to fluoride toothpaste and prevent dental caries.

Statistics:

• 42% of the region's population is affected by oral health diseases.
• Only 50% of countries in the region have allocated less than US$1 per capita on oral health in 2023.
• The global average allocation for oral health in 2019 was US$50 per capita.
• Only 3.7 oral health workers per 100,000 people are available in the region, compared to the estimated requirement of 13.3 per 100,000.
• Fourteen countries are leading efforts to secure WHO recognition of noma as a neglected tropical disease.

Sources:

• World Health Organization Regional Committee for Africa (2025)
• Ministry of Health, Senegal
• Hon Ibrahima Sy, Minister of Health, Senegal
• WHO Oral Health Training Courses
• WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi
• WHO recognition of noma as a neglected tropical disease