• Domaine :

  Health

• Région :

  Africa

• Pays :

  Ghana

The project description:

Buruli Ulcer is a skin disease caused by organisms called mycobacterium ulcerans, the bacteria is similar to those causing leprosy and tuberculosis. But buruli ulcer has received less attention in public health interventions hence been of the mysterious neglected tropical diseases described by the World Health Organisation (WHO). People especially children below the age of fifteen years basically in the sub-Saharan Africa living in rural communities are highly vulnerable to infection. Although the mode of transmission is still under research,
the WHO recommends health education to enhance early case detection to prevent disabilities and other complications like secondary infection like cancer which could lead to death.
The project was developed to train community based volunteers who are very instrumental in case detection in how to recognise buruli ulcer and mobilization of their respective communities for health education and screening for suspected skin lesions especially BU. 
Once the cases are suspected, there is the need to take specimen for laboratory confirmation and of course treatment. Health workers at various health facilities within the district were also trained on how to take BU specimen and treatment.
After the training and capacity building for both health workers and volunteers, T-shirts with BU messages and health educational materials like books and posters were given to propagate the message of BU in their communities.
Regular health educations, through video shows at night followed by screening were also carried out. School children who were also living at hamlets also benefited during a health education and screening at their schools.
In order to enhance permanent health education and information of BU to sustain the project, bill boards were also erected in ten communities with rapid response team numbers on them for follow up.
Because the project was a holistic approach, wound dressing materials and antibiotics were also supplied to ensure that patients who had BU enjoy free treatment.
The project started in November 2015 to 31st May 2016 at Asutifi South District in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana which benefited a direct population of over twenty thousand people (20,000). 
Follow up visits with experienced BU health professionals including the WHO Medical Director of BU from Geneva also took place to ensure that best practices and protocols are followed.
Since it highly impossible to have all population at a goal for health education, a live radio health education and news airing were all done to disseminate the BU information and education to a larger population.



Financial contributions: