Nigerian boy recovers from destructive disease with free surgery

In northern Nigeria, three-year-old Ibrahim Dalhatu began suffering from noma, a severe disease affecting the mouth and face. His family, living in a region with limited healthcare, feared for his life.

For five years, Ibrahim underwent six surgeries at the Noma Children’s Hospital in Sokoto State, where Doctors Without Borders provides free, multi-stage operations to patients whose families cannot afford treatment.

Ibrahim’s father, Muhammad Dalhatu, told the Associated Press he initially believed the disease was incurable, and the knowledge that the surgeries would be free relieved a major concern. Noma typically affects children between two and six years old, particularly those with malnutrition and lacking access to healthcare and hygiene. It begins as gum inflammation but can quickly destroy soft tissue and facial bones.

The hospital in Sokoto treated over 500 children with noma between 2023 and 2025, conducting three surgical campaigns each year. Many patients arrive with advanced disease due to a lack of awareness, difficulty reaching hospitals, and fear of social stigma. Nigeria has only two specialized hospitals for noma treatment, one in Sokoto and another in the capital, Abuja, despite having more cases than other countries.

Early intervention with antibiotics, nutrition, and care can prevent the disease from progressing and avoid years of surgery and stigma.