… FG Opens Probe
ABUJA – The Federal Government has opened a probe into a strange flesh-eating disease that has killed seven people and hospitalised 68 others in Malabu community, Adamawa State.
Dr. Adesigbin Olufemi, Acting National Coordinator of the National Tuberculosis, Buruli Ulcer and Leprosy Control Programme, confirmed the outbreak on Sunday in Abuja, while briefing journalists on the government’s response.
He disclosed that as of September 10, 67 cases had been confirmed, but the figure has since risen to 68, with eight patients currently undergoing surgery at the Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital (MAUTH), Yola.
“The disease begins as a boil, bursts, and then gradually eats away flesh, sometimes damaging bones in the affected area. Although the exact cause remains under investigation, Buruli Ulcer is strongly suspected,” Olufemi explained.
Buruli Ulcer, caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, is a neglected tropical disease often associated with swampy environments and stagnant water bodies.
While its mode of transmission remains uncertain, some studies suggest insects such as water fleas and mosquitoes may play a role.
Olufemi said patients with mild symptoms are being treated in local health centres, while severe cases requiring surgery have been referred to MAUTH.
He praised the Adamawa State Government and non-governmental partner REDAID for swift deployment of personnel and resources to Malabu on September 14.
He however warned that poor access roads and inadequate potable water supply in the remote community, about two hours from Yola were slowing down medical response.
“People will not need to go to rivers to fetch water if they have pipe-borne or borehole water around them. That way, they are less exposed,” he said, stressing that long-term health security required clean water and improved sanitation, not just medical intervention.
The federal coordinator also noted that superstition had complicated the crisis, as some residents initially attributed the outbreak to witchcraft, delaying early treatment.
He called for intensified sensitisation to encourage prompt reporting of symptoms.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) classifies Buruli Ulcer among the world’s most neglected tropical diseases, with cases mostly found in rural and riverine communities lacking access to healthcare.
Olufemi assured that both federal and state governments, working with development partners, remained committed to treating patients and halting further spread of the disease
