Seven individuals have died in Malabu, Adamawa State, from an unusual flesh-eating sickness, and the federal government has started conducting scientific studies to find out what caused it.
On Sunday in Abuja, this was revealed by Adesigbin Olufemi, who is the Acting National Coordinator of the National Tuberculosis, Buruli Ulcer, and Leprosy Control Programme, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
According to Olufemi, eight patients are currently having surgery at the Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital in Yola, and there have been sixty-seven confirmed cases as of September 10th.
“These are undergoing surgical treatment with the support of the government,” he said, highlighting the concerted efforts to address the medical emergency in afflicted towns.
According to legend, the condition typically manifests as a boil, which bursts and subsequently slowly consumes flesh, occasionally causing damage to the bones in the region.
Buruli Ulcer was suspected, according to Olufemi, but the exact aetiology was still unknown. Researchers are still trying to validate the existence of this tropical disease.
He went on to say that the bacterium Mycobacterium ulcerans, which is prevalent in swamps and stagnant riverine ecosystems, is the culprit behind Buruli Ulcer.
So far, no one has been able to pinpoint the exact mechanism of transmission. According to Olufemi, there are ideas that propose that biting insects, such as mosquitoes or water fleas, may inoculate humans.
On September 14, federal authorities and non-governmental partner REDAID came on site, and the coordinator praised the fast response of the Adamawa State Government.
According to him, local health centres were seeing individuals with less severe symptoms, while specialised hospitals were notified of more serious instances that required surgery.
Olufemi stressed the importance of raising awareness among the general public, particularly because some locals delayed getting treatment because they thought the illness was caused by witchcraft.
In his statement, he emphasised the need of raising awareness and urged residents to seek medical attention promptly.
According to him, the lack of good road access and the isolated location of Malabu—about two hours from Yola—made it more difficult to respond quickly with medical aid.
Olufemi emphasised that medical care was just one component of long-term health security; improved sanitation and access to clean water were also crucial, especially in rural areas.
With piped or borehole water readily available, people won’t have to travel to those rivers for their water needs. He went on to explain that this would make them less vulnerable.
He reassured the public that the treatment of patients and the prevention of future transmission would continue to be priorities for the federal and state governments, backed by health partners.
As a tropical disease that disproportionately affects low-income, rural populations living along rivers, Buruli Ulcer has been named by the World Health Organisation as one of the most neglected tropical diseases in the world.