Infectiology
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Elfenbeinküste
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Treat early and broadly: thermotherapy of Buruli ulcer integrated into WHO-recommended wound management in West Africa

Organisation: Sektion Klinische Tropenmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg
Partner country: Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa
Partner organisation in partner country: Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire (CSRS)
Community-based wound management in Ahondo, Tiassalé Health District,  Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa

The project rolls out WHO recommended wound management combined with innovative low-tech community-based thermotherapy of Buruli ulcer (BU) in the BU-endemic Tiassalé Health District,  Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa. It addresses three key areas of clinical and public health importance:

  • Implementation of WHO recommended general wound management for all types of wounds with tools available at the peripheral level of the health care system
  • Prevention of systemic life threatening sequelae (e.g. sepsis) and permanent disability by early recognition and treatment of wounds at the community level.
  • Management of the disabling disease BU that primarily affects children in West Africa

The project builds on the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by

  • targeting all patients with a broken down skin barrier independent of the cause (patient centred health care)
  • bringing diagnosis and treatment close to the community
  • educating and training both community members and health care workers
  • measuring the health intervention outcome on the population level.

Here you can get further information.