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| WHO Buruli Ulcer Strategy to focus on early detection, early treatment
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Cotonou, Benin (PANA) -
Based on the best available evidence, the World Health O
rganization’s (WHO)new strategy for Buruli ulcer (BU) control will focus on earl
y
case detection and early initiation of antibiotic treatment for patients, accor
d
ing to the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo.
In an address to the High-Level Leadership Meeting on BU here on Wednesday, he e
xplained that the rationale behind the focus of WHO’s BU control strategy
on early detection and early commencement of treatment was because “early treatm
ent with antibiotics is vital to avoid the progression of the disease to
its destructive and disabling stages.”
“WHO’s strategy for BU control calls for universal access by all populations to
appropriate health care … and given that the incidence of the disease is
highest among deprived populations, treatment should be free of charge or at a c
ost affordable by the poor,” he told the participants.
The Regional Director listed some of the numerous advantages of the new strateg
y as including the alleviation of suffering and disabling complications;
reduction in the cost for specialized surgery; better integration of BU control
activities into the primary health care system and the lowering of the direct a
n
d
indirect cost of treatment.
Dr Sambo described the development of drug treatment of BU as a notable achievem
ent, which had revolutionized the management and treatment of the
disease and reduced by half the need for expensive surgical treatment .
However, many challenges still lie ahead, he said.
These include the need to develop a simple diagnostic test to help health worker
s in rural clinics to diagnose the disease; better surveillance and case notific
a
tion to
allow for the commencement of early treatment; shortage of qualified health work
ers, and inadequate funds for research into the epidemiology of BU, its mode of
transmission and improved diagnosis and treatment.
He paid tribute to the Heads of State attending the meeting, saying that their
presence in Cotonou was evidence of the importance they attached to BU control.
“Let us work together to get to the root of this disfiguring disease of which ma
nkind is still a victim in the 21st century,” he said.
Dr. Sambo pledged that WHO would continue to work with countries and development
partners to ensure the attainment by Member States of internationally-agreed he
a
lth objectives.
A neglected but treatable tropical disease, BU is caused by infection with Mycob
acterium ulcerans, a relative of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis and lepros
y
. The disease is characterized by skin lesions which persist without healing.
BU, named after an area of Uganda where it was once highly prevalent, is present
in over 30 countries worldwide.
In the African Region, cases of BU have been confirmed in 12 countries, includi
ng Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gu
i
nea, Ghana,
Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Central African Republic and Uganda.
Suspected cases have been reported in Angola, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, C
had, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, Malawi and Tanzania.
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| Cotonou - 01/04/2009 |
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