Buruli Ulcer Victims Aid (BUVA Foundation) is a charitable non governmental organisation founded by a former patient of buruli ulcer (Mr. Emmanuel Agumah, now a Rotary Club member of Kumasi In Ghana) who spent almost 3 years in treating his BU disease with 10 surgical operations. Having firsthand knowledge in BU he established this NGO to create awareness and educate the public, helps BU patients in educational sponsorship and training the youth (with BU) in vocation so that they can self reliant. Emmanuel was a recently a featured speaker at WHO headquarters in Geneva Switzerland, Nairobi-Kenya and was a guest Lecturer in the fall 2010 in 4 public universities(Emory University, Michigan State University, Millersville University and Univerisity of Tennessee) in USA He has been doing all his possible best but lucks support. You can support him through the Rotary club Member Kodzo by cash, kind or a check bearing BUVA FOUNDATION. Contact: Emmanuel J. Agumah (Former Buruli Ulcer Patient) Founder & President, BUVA Foundation P. O. BOX SE 476, Suame-Kumasi Ghana. Tel:

BURULI ULCER DISEASE Introduction Buruli Ulcer (BU) is a devastating skin disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. BU is the most common mycobacterium infection of humans after leprosy and tuberculosis. The disease affects rural poor people living or working close to rivers and stagnant water. About 70% of those affected are children under the age of 15 years. The beginning stage of the disease manifests as nodules. If left untreated, it develops into a small ulcer, progresses to a large ulcer which would not heal with common topical antibiotics and herbal treatment. The known treatment currently is with an antibiotic combination of Rifampicin and Streptomycin over a period of about 8 weeks. The ulcer heals with a large scare and deformities to body parts. Some of the healed patients are left with disabilities including amputation of limbs that have long-term social and economic impact. BU has a low mortality rate but a higher morbidity rate cases were recorded last year that still maintained Ghana as the second most endemic country for buruli ulcer globally.

Problem statement: Buruli ulcer, basically, affects people from poor rural communities where access to portable water is a big problem, no access to health care, malnutrition and has a very low standard of living. People highly vulnerable to infection are people living on less than $ 1 a day. Buruli ulcer, unlike ordinary diseases takes a long time to treat if noticed late since it will involve surgical operations including skin grafting. As a result, most children dropout from school and are not able to continue due to family financial constraints as well as stigmatization due to disabilities in the form amputations. The adverse economic effects on BU patients and their families due to long hospitalization too cannot be swept under the carpet. The disabilities and deformity resulting from Buruli ulcer does not allow the persons who have suffered the illness to resume their old lives and economic livelihood. There is no program for the rehabilitation of such persons in the country until BUVA Foundation came up to train these patients in income generation activities (Community Based Rehabilitation), solicit support for scholarships for the children affected by this disease. Besides, knowledge about buruli ulcer in the Ghanaian community and even endemic communities is relatively low. Until BUVA Foundation emerged, there has never been any organization in Ghana or program where former patient of buruli ulcer is used to advocate and create awareness of buruli ulcer in Ghana.

Project Objective: To create awareness and education on buruli ulcer in two district so that people vulnerable to infection would know the early symptoms of buruli ulcer, what to do, where to go for treatment etc. According to the WHO, early detection through education and awareness creation and early treatment is key now since mode of transmission is still unknown. Rehabilitation of former buruli ulcer patients: Under this project, former patients are expected to be trained in basic economic activities like batik, tie and dye and leather works so that we create market for them to sell it and improve upon their living standards, thus reducing poverty. The basic objective here is to make them economically independent. Methodology: The use of visual images to create awareness and education like video shows at the villages where we would operate, posters, billboards and past patients as a symbol of hope and inspiration. Educating school children and teachers about buruli ulcer in every community we, local drug stores owners, traditional healers and any other stakeholders in these communities. Occasionally, we would try and get some airtime on some local radio stations to educate the public on buruli ulcer and we believe this would be very effective.

Some BU Photos

TIME SCAALE: The project is expected to start from March 2012 and end at 28 February 2013 so that we measure results to find out the major challenges and draw another program for the foreseeable future. THANK YOU.