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Dr Edwin Ampadu, the Programmes Manager for Buruli Ulcer, has cautioned Ghanaians to be wary of the disease as it is affecting people more than expected. He said the disease should not be taken for granted since it was deforming people at a high rate, hence, the need to visit the hospital when they suspect they have the problem.
Buruli Ulcer is a chronic debilitating skin and soft tissue infection that could lead to permanent disfigurement and disability. It is caused by an environmental bacterium- Mycobacterium ulcerans and it affects any part of the human body.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO) data from 2001 to 2016 more than 1000 cases have been reported on Buruli Ulcer in Ghana. Dr Ampadu speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra said because the disease did not show any sign of pain, headache, and fever among others like other diseases, people fetl reluctant to report to the hospital and if at all, very late.
He explained that the mode of transmission of the disease was still unknown but with the help of special antibiotics the situation could be curtailed and even treated completely when such cases got to the hospital on time. The disease starts with painless swelling of either the leg, arms, face and mostly affects children.
Buruli ulcer cases in the past were treated through surgery and cutting of the affected area but that is no more the case. It has now been replaced with the proper administration of medication for eight to 10 weeks for complete treatment.
Surgery is only considered an option in real instances where the wound is too big but it does not include cutting the affected. He said Buruli Ulcer could be treated and urged people to seek early treatment to prevent it from getting out of control.
Research conducted by the Buruli Ulcer team in the country found out that the disease thrived in moist areas and it found mostly in the southern zones and has nothing to do with spiritual causes or witchcraft. It has also been established that one key important factor contributing to the steadily increase of the disease was improper practice of personal hygiene, saying, “it is therefore necessary that people consider this as very necessary to their existence”.
Dr Ampadu noted that in other that people with such cases were seen early and attended to there was the need for health directors in the districts to see this as a general concern without necessarily waiting on the Buruli Ulcer team to come to their aid.
“The country does not want to see such cases anymore because it is destroying and deforming people at a high rate,” he added.
