An epidemic has struck Adamawa State, with at least 28 people identified as suffering from a rare disease that eats into human flesh and destroys bones.
Dr. Suleiman Bashir, Chairman of the Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, confirmed the outbreak to journalists on Saturday.
He said some patients were receiving treatment at the Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital (MAUTH), Yola, while specimens had been sent to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Abuja for histology and further analysis.
“Results are expected in the next 10 days. We encourage victims to accept medical treatment rather than rely on traditional medicine,” Bashir said.
He revealed that although 28 victims had been identified, only eight agreed to undergo medical treatment despite the state government covering the costs at MAUTH.
He also urged residents to promptly report any strange health conditions in their communities to prevent further spread.
The outbreak is most pronounced in Malabu, a community in Fufore Local Government Area. Residents reported that the disease typically starts as a boil, which bursts and gradually eats into the flesh, eventually destroying underlying bones.
One victim, Mrs. Phibi Sabo, shared her experience, “It started like a boil with pains, later got swollen and burst, then began to eat up the flesh on my leg, damaging the bones and causing serious pain.
“This has left me with an open wound. I can’t explain what is happening to me, though I have visited the hospital and received medication.”
Another victim, Junaidu Adamu, said he had spent more than ₦200,000 on treatment in the past two months without improvement.
The District Head of Malabu, Aliyu Hammawa, confirmed that no fewer than 30 people had been affected.
He said eight patients were receiving care at MAUTH while others continued to battle the disease at local facilities and in their homes.
This mysterious outbreak adds to Nigeria’s history of strange and deadly health emergencies.
