New partners against noma: a review of some of the organizations that have joined the international action network against noma since the last issue of noma contact appeared

The long-tenn aim of Africa's oral health strategy is that "within the next 25 years, all people of the region should enjoy improved levels of oral health and function through a significant reduction of all oral diseases and conditions that are prevalent in the region, equitable access to cost-effective quality oral health care and adoption of healthy life- styles". By the year 2008, African countries are expected to have developed their own national oral health strategies and implemen- tation plans focusing on districts and com- munities. In approving the regional strategy, the Af- rica regional committee called on WHO Member States in Africa to "give particular attention to the most severe oral problems that people have to live with (e.g. noma, oral cancer and oral manifestations of HIV in- fection/AIDS)". The committee also urged countries to "develop appropriate and af- fordable programmes that match the oral health needs of the community" and to "in- tegrate oral health activities in all primary health care programmes". New partners against noma lA review of some of the organizations that have joined the International Actio Network Against Noma since the last issue of Noma Contact appeared) Promoting prevention: the Dutch Noma Foundation utch Noma Foundation (Nederlandse Noma Stichting) was set up in 1997 to sup- port efforts to combat noma. The founda- tion raises funds in the Netherlands to pro- mote prevention as the key to overcoming the disease. It works with local health au- thorities in west Africa to try to improve conditions of hygiene in affected commu- nities. The Dutch Noma Foundation also sends volunteer medical teams to west Af- rica to carry out reconstructive surgery on the faces of noma patients. For further details, contact: From wartime injuries to today's disfigurement: Facing Africa (NOMA) Facing Africa (NOMA) has been founded in the United Kingdom to support the pre- vention and treatment of noma, particularly in Africa. The organization has put together a volunteer team of surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses who are prepared to help with facial reconstruction. The United Kingdom volunteers are staff of a hospital that specializes in treating facial disfigurement. The hospital was built early in World War II to treat burnt and injured airmen and has since focused on treating per- sons who are facially disfigured, whether by accident, birth defect or infection. It is in- tended that the children to be treated by the team will be removed from their home en- vironment for as short a time as possible. Training will also be offered to paramedi- cal staff in countries where noma is com- mon. For further details, contact: Facing Africa !NOMA), Seend Park, Seend, Wiltshire, SN12 6NZ, United Kingdom. Tel: 441380 828533. Fax: 44 1380 828630. For further details, and for a copy of Oral Health in the African Region: a Regional Strategy, contact: Dr Sa m Thorpe, Regional Advisor for Oral Health, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Parirenyatwa Hospital, PO Box BE 773, Harare, Zimbabwe. Tel : 263 407 6951 or 470 7493. Fax: 263 479 0146 or 479 1214. E-mail: regafro@whoafr.org. • Or Klaas W. Marck, President, Dutch Noma Foundation, De P611e 24, NL-9084 BT Goutum, Netherlands. Tel: 31 58 288 6437. FjCING ilFRICA 5