Health
Nigerian boy, 8, recovers from noma after six free surgeries in Sokoto
September 24, 2026 at 11:58 AM
A Nigerian boy who contracted noma at age three has recovered after six free reconstructive surgeries, spotlighting the disease's toll in northern Nigeria.
- Ibrahim Dalhatu, now 8, has undergone six reconstructive surgeries since 2021 at Sokoto's Noma Children Hospital, where MSF operates free of charge.
- The Sokoto hospital treated more than 500 children with noma between 2023 and 2025, according to data reviewed by AP.
- Ibrahim's father Muhammad Dalhatu told AP he had believed the disease incurable, and learning the surgeries were free eased the family's biggest fear.
- WHO classified noma as a neglected tropical disease in December 2023, following a request led by Nigeria's health ministry.