Buruli ulcer discovered in the Achiase and Bomfa communities

Ejisu (Ash), March 8, GNA - Thirty-five Buruli ulcer cases were recorded in the Ejisu-Juaben district of Ashanti last year. Dr Badu Sarkodie, who disclosed this at Ejisu on Tuesday said three of the cases were in the nodule stages while the remaining 32 had developed into ulcers.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Dr Sarkodie mentioned Achaise, Bomfa and Boama Dumase as the most endemic areas in the district. He said because most of the people in the area had very little or no education on the disease, they wait until it reaches the ulcer stage before they report to the health facilities in the Achaise-Bomfa sub- district for treatment.

Dr Sarkodie explained that because the Achaise and Bomfa areas have many streams, they breed the bacteria that causes the ulcer which he said accounts for the area being prone to the disease. To combat the disease in the district, he said 45 volunteers had been trained on how to detect and remove the nodule or lumps from affected people and to detect Buruli ulcer in its early stages. Dr. Sarkodie acknowledged the advantage in having a private clinic, the Evangelical Ministries Clinic at Apromase, which caters for patients who have developed the ulcers.

He appealed to the government to supply dressing materials to the endemic centres and asked people to report to health facilities when they see painless lump in their skins and not live in ignorance as the disease spread within two months.