Mrs Lynda Arthur, Country Director of Health Foundation of Ghana, an NGO, has expressed concern about challenges that deter buruli ulcer patients from reporting to health facilities for treatment, whilst others report too late.
The challenges, she said, included the myths and stigma that surrounds the disease, the low level of awareness of treatment options, the long distances that affected persons have to cover to attend health facilities, and the attitude of some health personnel to the disease.
These challenges, she noted, had been a hindrance to the eradication of the disease.
The Country Director was addressing the opening of a four-day training workshop at Kukuom in Asunafo South District in Brong Ahafo, for 80 community health volunteers and 80 School Health Education Programme (SHEP) co-ordinators in early case detection and referral, and 40 community health workers in early case detection and case management of the disease.
The workshop was organized by the Foundation and the National Buruli Ulcer Control Programme in collaboration with Asunafo South District Health Administration and sponsored by Fontilles Lucha Contra La Lepra of Spain.
Mrs Arthur stated that over the past decade, researchers had found an effective treatment for the disease, resulting in the current World Health Organization (WHO) treatment recommendation for the disease.
"WHO states that ideally early reporting patients should be initially given an eight week dosage regimen of specific combination of antibiotics that have been found to be very effective in either healing the disease or reducing its size dramatically before surgery," she said.
The Country Director emphasized that if the recommendations are followed, such patients who would need the surgery would only need a short stay in hospital, and that those whose ulcers were healed after taking the medication would not have to stay in hospital at all.
"The socio-economic impact of this for buruli ulcer patients is immense. It is therefore important that we share this knowledge with buruli ulcer patients, their families and communities, to dispel the myths as well as encourage early reporting.
"There is also the need to empower health personnel, community volunteers and SHEP with skills to detect and refer the disease for appropriate treatment," Mrs Arthur said.
She explained that the workshop was part of collaboration between the Foundation and the National Buruli Ulcer Control Programme targeting endemic districts to promote early reporting and referral of the disease through such training sessions and public education in affected communities.
Dr Edwin Ampadu, Programmes Manager of the National Buruli Ulcer Control Programme, noted that significant strides had over the years been made in the detection and control of the disease in Ghana.
He said the workshop was part of greater efforts being made to ensure that all cases were reported early for cure and control.
The Programmes Manager noted that persons most affected by the disease were children of school-going age and urged the participants to work effectively and efficiently, so that all cases would be reported to health facilities, since the National Health Insurance Scheme covered the treatment of the disease.
Mr I. K. Acheampong, District Co-ordinating Director, who presided, expressed appreciation for the workshop being held in the "most endemic" district of the region and urged the participants to work with dedication and love towards the affected persons.