Monthly Noma Webinars
Monthly seminars will be held on the last Tuesday of each month from 16h00 to 17h00 South Africa Standard Time (UTC/GMT +2 hours).
Dr. Justus Uchenna Onu
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Anambra State, Nigeria
Tuesday the 26th of May 2026
at 16h00 to 17h00 South Africa time (UTC/GMT +2 hours).
Beyond the Scars: The Mental Health Burden of Noma - Lessons from the Integer Study
Dr. Justus Uchenna Onu (MBBS, FWACP, FMCPsych) from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Anambra State, Nigeria completed his residency training in Psychiatry (2012 – 2017) and obtained the Fellowship of the West African Postgraduate Medical College (WAPMC) and the Fellowship of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN) in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Dr. Onu is now a lecturer and a consultant psychiatrist.
Dr Onu's research interests include genetic epidemiology of major mental disorders, addiction psychiatry, in addition to the outcome of mental illness and other chronic medical
conditions in Africa.
Dr. Onu is interested in the mental health aspects of noma, a relative underresearched area. This important aspect needs further exploration to ensure noma care improves mental health of the patient and caregivers. Dr Onu's presentation will provide us with insights into his work into this important aspect of noma.
Dr. Lealem Tilahun Gelaw
Noma surgeon, Ethiopia
Tuesday the 30th of June 2026
at 16h00 to 17h00 South Africa time (UTC/GMT +2 hours).
Noma in Ethiopia
Dr. Lealem Tilahun Gelaw, a Plastic, Reconstructive, and Hand Surgeon and COSECSA Fellow at Jimma University Medical Center, Ethiopia, is currently pursuing a Craniofacial Surgery Fellowship at Chang Gung Hospital, Taiwan. Dr. Gelaw completed his specialty training in Plastic Surgery at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, where he served as Chief Resident. Dr. Gelaw has participated in surgical missions with Second Chance in African countries and provided pre- and post-operative care for Noma patients with Facing Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
After graduation, Dr Gelaw attended Jimma University as an Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery, where he performed reconstructive surgeries and mentored medical students and residents. Dr. Gelaw's research includes the patterns of noma survivors in Ethiopia, and after completing his fellowship, he plans to combine advanced surgical expertise with research to provide comprehensive care for patients with Noma and other complex facial deformities.
