Noma portraits

Noma is a disfiguring gangrene leading to pain, discomfort and discrimination. This neglected tropical disease was first described by Hippocrates and has been reported worldwide throughout History. Noma is preventable and treatable, but is still estimated to kill 90% of the 140,000 people affected yearly because of the lack of knowledge about it and the difficulty of access to healthcare. In Sokoto, Nigeria, patients and survivors of all ages undergo treatment and reconstructive surgery that will improve their health, but also their chances of re-entering society and living a better life. Often after several months of waiting for the surgical team to come, survivors have to confront the harsh reality of whether they will be operated or not. In this photo series, they are pictured in front of the surgeons’ examination lamp.