Projekt

Late presentation and surgical treatment often cause significant morbidity and disability in Buruli ulcer (BU) patients. The aim of the study is to implement strategies for the promotion of active community participation in early case detection and treatment seeking and to support health centres in confirmation and treatment of BU. The project will be carried out in the third most endemic district (Asante-Akim north) of Ghana and will involve a baseline, intervention and monitoring and evaluation phases. In the baseline study, socio-medical and cultural data will be reviewed/collected to better understand local perceptions, behaviour and attitude towards BU treatment seeking. Intervention activities will include (i) strengthening community capacity to identify early stages of the disease and seeking prompt medical treatment (ii) strengthening the health system to promptly diagnose and treat patients. The impact of the interventions will be determined from hospital records. It is expected that by the end of the project at least 80% of BU cases will be detected at the pre /early ulcer stages. This will enhance the socio-economic activities and thereby improve the livelihood of victims.

• Prof. Dr. Bernhard Fleischer

  Bernhard-Nocht-Institut
  für Tropenmedizin (BNITM)
  Hamburg
  

• Dr. Anthony Samuel Ablordey

  University of Ghana
  College of Health Sciences
  Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research
  (NMIMR)
  Legon
  Ghana