Medical apathy worsens Buruli ulcer outbreak in Adamawa – ASPHCDA chair
The Executive Chairman of Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ADSPHDA), Dr. Sulaiman Bashir, has blamed widespread apathy and resistance to medical treatment among victims for the escalation of the recent Buruli ulcer disease outbreak in the state.
Speaking during a media roundtable with newsmen in Yola, Dr. Bashir disclosed that at the onset of the outbreak, health teams sent to the affected communities were met with stiff resistance from patients and their families.
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Many of them, he lamented, either avoided health facilities completely or abandoned treatment midway, worsening their conditions and heightening the public health risk.
According to Dr. Bashir, several patients clung to wrong assumptions about the disease and rejected treatment altogether while others delayed reporting to health facilities until the disease had advanced to severe stages.
He explained that such late presentation has complicated the response, as many victims are arriving at hospitals with chronic ulcers that demand complex surgical and microbiological interventions beyond the capacity of primary health centers.
“Some came very late, when their wounds had already been badly contaminated. To get reliable test results, we had to clean the wounds and take tissue samples for histology. By then, the damage was already advanced,” he said.
Dr. Bashir said the state government was forced to launch intensive community engagement campaigns to persuade skeptical residents to seek medical care.
He also disclosed that the government has shouldered the cost of treatment, feeding, investigations, and medications for admitted patients, underscoring the government’s commitment to holistically addressed the issue.
The chairman added that a ward has also been dedicated at the state specialist hospital, supported by a multidisciplinary team including plastic surgeons, orthopedists, and microbiologists.
Dr. Bashir linked the widespread resistance to low literacy levels, poverty, and poor nutrition among disadvantaged groups, stressing that lack of awareness and social misconceptions have worsened the situation.
He further highlighted the role of social determinants of health, noting that households with low education and poor nutrition are more vulnerable to both disease and poor health-seeking behavior.
The ADSPHDA boss cautioned that negative or sensationalist media coverage could worsen the situation by frightening those who are yet to present themselves for treatment. He appealed for collaborative reportage that encourages trust in health facilities.
“Our intent is not to scare people. We want to build confidence in the system and encourage early care-seeking. This disease is manageable, but only if patients come in time,” he stressed.
While acknowledging improvements in some of the most critical cases after just four days of care, Dr. Bashir insisted that the larger fight requires collective action. He urged media practitioners, community leaders, and civil society groups to join forces with health authorities in combating apathy, stigma, and ignorance.
“Buruli ulcer can affect any community. The lesson here is clear: apathy and mistrust only worsen the burden. We must unite to promote early treatment and protect lives,” he concluded.
