Makurdi, 24 February, 2025 – Just a few months in the past, life took a sudden twist for 57-year-old Angela Dukpe (identify modified), residing in a village in Gwer West Native Authorities Space, Benue state, when a painless nodule on her left leg developed into an enormous smelly sore, disfiguring her left leg. 

“I initially dismissed the lump, which grew to become an enormous wound with pus popping out of it. The wound affected my vanity and social life, making it troublesome to look after my household,”- she defined. 

Angela obtained assist after a standard healer she sought therapeutic from notified a well being employee (a Illness Surveillance and Notification Officer (DSNO)), Mr Ikyoto Sylvanus,  about her case. 

“The wound on Angela’s leg had comparable traits to Buruli Ulcer”, defined Mr Ikyoto, who collected a swab pattern from the wound for a laboratory take a look at. 

Angela was administered antibiotics remedy for her ailment.

Understanding Buruli Ulcer
The World Well being Group has designated Buruli Ulcer as one of many  17 Uncared for Tropical Illnesses affecting greater than 120 million individuals in 72 international locations, together with Nigeria. The infectious illness predominantly impacts the pores and skin, deeper smooth tissues, and, in some instances, the bones, and if left untreated, can result in extreme disabilities and everlasting disfigurement.

In 2024, Nigeria reported 698 suspected instances of Buruli ulcers. The illness usually begins as a painless swelling or nodule, primarily on the leg, arms, or face, and, if untreated, can progress to giant ulcers.

Buruli Ulcer thrives in rural, swampy areas and disproportionately impacts youngsters underneath 15. The illness could progress with no ache or fever. 

Early detection and remedy are vital in mitigating the devastating results of the illness, and these encompass a mixture of antibiotics and complementary therapies within the early levels. Nonetheless, many affected people are unaware of those choices. 

WHO’s Lifeline of Help
In Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Well being, in collaboration with WHO and different worldwide and native companions, has been on the forefront of combating Buruli ulcer and different NTDs by guiding its analysis and remedy. By way of technical, monetary, and logistical assist, WHO helps to strengthen illness surveillance, enhance entry to analysis and remedy, increase consciousness about all NTDs and strengthen well being programs.

As an illustration, in Benue state, the place Angela resides, the WHO offers technical assist to the state to facilitate surveillance and seek for lively instances whereas facilitating specimen assortment for laboratory testing. 

“WHO has supported the sensitisation campaigns to sensitise the communities on improved healthcare-seeking behaviour for early remedy of instances of Buruli Ulcer earlier than the onset of issues. The marketing campaign yielded constructive outcomes as the normal healer who notified of Angela’s case grew to become conscious of the signs and was educated to tell the well being employee via sensitisation actions”, defined Mr Ikyoto. 

Mr Ikyoto, nevertheless, believes extra world and native effort is required to eradicate the illness. 

“We’d like the assist of funding and medicines to comply with up on case management-related instances. At the moment, many of the recognized instances will not be receiving any remedy from the well being system”, added Mr Ikyoto.

World NNTD day
With Nigeria lately becoming a member of the World to commemorate 2025 World NTDs Day, the Minister of State for Well being and Social Welfare,  Dr Iziaq Salako, mentioned over 200 million Nigerians are vulnerable to contracting at the least one Uncared for Tropical Illness (NTD), with 165 million in want of preventive chemotherapy.

Dr Salako famous that the 10-year NTDs street map 2021−2030 rolled out by WHO, set formidable targets and offered a blueprint for world elimination.

“We will focus consideration on thousands and thousands of individuals with little or no entry to prevention, remedy, and care providers to counter the social determinants of well being.” He added.

In a name for motion, WHO Nation Consultant Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo known as on all people, together with leaders and communities, to unite, act, and eradicate uncared for tropical ailments (NTDs) by making daring, sustainable investments to free the estimated 1.5 billion individuals on the earth’s most susceptible communities from a vicious cycle of illness and poverty.

Dr Mulombo mentioned, “Buruli Ulcer is among the NTDs that causes extra morbidity and struggling than mortality. It reduces the each day adjusted life years for affected individuals and impacts nationwide productiveness. Communities, governments, and Civil Society Organisations (CSO) ought to pay extra consideration to this silent and uncared for illness.”