Improving control of buruli ulcer in Nkawie District of the Ashanti Region
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Date
2005-11-08
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Abstract
Buruli ulcer (Bu) is a disease of the skin caused by mycobacteriurn ulcerans, a bacterium related to those causing tuberculosis (TB) and leprosy, and leads to massive destruction of the skin layer often resulting in debilitating deformities and severe prolonged morbidity.
In recent years, increasing number of cases have been reported in some countries in West Africa, namely, Benin, Ghana, Togo, La Cote d’Ivoire and Liberia. In addition to these numbers of cases, there has also been increasing geographical spread of the disease within these countries. Thus the disease has generated a serious health concern in Ghana since 1993 to policy makers, health professionals and affected individuals and communities.
The aim of this study was to improve control of Buruli ulcer in Nkawie District. The study design was non-interventional, specifically cross sectional descriptive study. Data for the study was collected from 10 endemic communities in the district. Questionnaire administration and key informant interview were used as data collection techniques to elicit information from respondents. The study was conducted among 100 people aged 15 years and above, infected by the disease. With the aid of computer software (Epi info version 3.0) tables, histograms and pie charts data were analyzed.
The study revealed that 40% of the respondents believed that the disease is not caused by bacterium but when offending the gods which is contrary to the view that BU a disease caused by Mycobacterium Ulcerans (Aseidu. 2000).
The study further showed that 40% thought BU was not a hospital disease and sought herbal treatment from traditional healers.
Furthermore, it was revealed that 85% of respondents went to the hospital with the disease at ulcerative stage.
The findings of the study showed that 95% of the respondents covered 10km and more as the nearest distance to district hospital which is a constraint on seeking health care. It emerged from the study that 92% were physically incapacitated with 56% deformed and 36% disabled
Again, the socio economic and cultural factors influence the control of BU as 40% believe that it is a disease one gets when he or she has offended the gods and therefore prefer herbal treatment.
The researcher recommends that people in the endemic community should be educated periodically on the disease most especially preventive measures and simple methods of detecting and reporting the disease early enough to forestall the devastating effects of the disease.
It is further recommended that Ministry of Health (MOH) strengthens Community Based Surveillance Programme (CBSP) through training and provision of adequate funds and logistics for better delivery and deformed patients should be socially, physically and economically rehabilitated in the health facilities and communities.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Department of Community Health, College of Health Sciences in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Health Education and Promotion, 2005