Nairobi — The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for greater focus on oral health in Africa, where 42 per cent of the population is affected by oral diseases.
Speaking on World Oral Health Day 2025, Acting WHO Regional Director for Africa, Chikwe Ihekweazu, emphasized the urgent need to prioritize oral health, warning that conditions such as dental caries, gum disease, and tooth loss can lead to "disfigurement, stigma, and even death."
The region also bears a significant burden of noma, a gangrenous disease that primarily affects young children and can be fatal if untreated.
WHO has endorsed both the Regional Oral Health Strategy and the Global Strategy on Oral Health, with several African nations--including Lesotho, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone--already implementing policy measures, training healthcare workers, and strengthening surveillance systems.
However, Ihekweazu acknowledged that the region still lags behind, with only 17 per cent of the population having access to essential oral healthcare services.
"At the global level, the seventy-fourth World Health Assembly (WHA74) in 2021 recognized oral health as a core part of the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) agenda and Universal Health Coverage (UHC)," he noted.
This recognition led to the endorsement of the Global Strategy on Oral Health (WHA75) and the Global Oral Health Action Plan 2023-2030 (WHA76), which includes a comprehensive monitoring framework.
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WHO is now urging governments, stakeholders, and individuals to work together to accelerate the implementation of the Global Oral Health Action Plan.
"This requires engaging multi-sectoral stakeholders, securing funding, integrating oral health services into national benefits packages, and using a people-centered approach. By working together, we can achieve better oral health outcomes and improve overall well-being," said Ihekweazu.
3.5bn people worldwide suffer oral diseases
World Oral Health Day is marked annually on March 20, highlighting oral health as a vital indicator of overall well-being and quality of life.
Globally, oral diseases rank among the most common non-communicable diseases, affecting approximately 3.5 billion people.
The theme for this year's World Oral Health Day is "A Happy Mouth is a Happy Mind", aiming to raise awareness about the importance of oral health and its connection to mental health and overall well-being.
The objectives of World Oral Health Day 2025 include increasing public awareness of oral health and its significance to general health.
WHO is also seeking to empower individuals with knowledge and tools to prevent oral diseases, promote positive oral health-seeking behaviors to reduce treatment costs and complexity, and highlight the connection between good oral health and mental well-being.
