WHO Raises Alarm Over Africa’s Oral Health Crisis, Calls For Urgent Action

The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm on a worsening oral health crisis in Africa, where 42% of the population suffers from oral diseases, alongside the highest global incidence of the deadly noma disease.

In a statement marking the 2025 World Oral Health Day, the WHO Regional Office for Africa emphasized the need for urgent, collective action to address the crisis. Acting Regional Director, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, highlighted gaps in implementation despite existing strategies.

“We have the strategy—now we must implement it,” he urged.

A severe shortage of oral health workers, with only 0.37 professionals per 10,000 people—far below the recommended 1.33—further exacerbates the crisis. Only 17% of Africans have access to essential oral health services, leading to widespread cases of dental caries, gum disease, and noma, a gangrenous disease affecting young children with a high fatality rate.

While some countries, including Nigeria, Lesotho, and Sierra Leone, have made policy strides, overall progress remains slow. The WHO is urging African nations to fast-track the Global Oral Health Action Plan, emphasizing multisectoral collaboration and innovative financing.

At the Global Oral Health Meeting in Thailand, 29 African nations developed national roadmaps to tackle these challenges. A Regional Framework for Accelerating Implementation will be reviewed at the upcoming Seventy-fifth Regional Committee for Africa.

The WHO is calling on governments, healthcare providers, and communities to integrate oral health into national health priorities, stressing its link to major non-communicable diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

With immediate and coordinated action, WHO believes Africa can reverse the trend and improve oral health outcomes across the continent.