By Duncan Mboyah
Mycetoma disease experts including from World Health Organization (WHO) have urged African governments to adopt new funding models for its management.
Dr. Augustin Ebeja, Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) Focal Point, Human African Trypanosomiasis and Mycetoma at WHO Regional office for Africa said that mycetoma – chronic, infectious disease that primarily affects under-the-skin tissues, muscles, and bones – needs to be integrated in the existing health program for easy management.
“Because of its social stigmatization effects on patients that forces young adults to abandoning school, all African governments need to avail services in all health facilities,” Dr. Ebeja said during a webinar marking a decade since the WHO recognized mycetoma as an NTD
The official called on governments to intensify training of staff, community health workers and produce awareness materials to ensure that populations get informed on the disease dangers to be able to report early in health facilities.
He added that WHO recognizes the presence of the disease globally and has developed a strategy that is meant to manage the problem in Africa.
Dr. Borna Nyaoke –Anoke, head of mycetoma Disease at Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) said that her organization has conducted studies in Senegal and India and found 700 people infected by the disease. Another study conducted in Ethiopia reported 102 cases.
“The studies found that the burden of the disease is real hence the need to fund awareness campaigns,” Dr. Nyaoke –Anoke noted.
John Ekai, medical lab technologist at Lodwar County Referral Hospital and a mycetoma community advocate in Turkana, north western Kenya, observed that with the surge in mycetoma case in the region there is need to integrate the disease in primary health care just as is the case with malaria.
Ekai noted that community health workers should also be re-trained in the management of the disease. The region that has the highest number of cases in the country also requires modern laboratory equipment that could help with detection of the disease.
Prof. Ahmed Fahal, professor of surgery and founder of the Mycetoma Research Centre (MRC) at the University of Khartoum, Sudan urged medics to treat patients with simple medicine that they can afford as opposed to expensive ones that they are unable to find within their locality.
Prof. Fahal also recommended that governments open up satellite centers to help with the management of the disease.
They called for the establishment of an active research and development that includes one health approach to help with the management of the disease.
They also called on drug manufacturers to develop affordable drugs to save the poor people from remote parts of the countries.
