Health authorities in Adamawa State have confirmed an outbreak of a rare disease that eats away human flesh and destroys bones, with at least 28 people reportedly infected.
The Chairman of the Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Suleiman Bashir, confirmed the development on Saturday, noting that specimens from affected patients have been sent to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Abuja for histology and further analysis. Results are expected within 10 days.
Bashir disclosed that although 28 cases had been identified, only eight patients had accepted treatment at the Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital (MAUTH), Yola, despite the state government covering all medical expenses. He urged residents to shun traditional remedies and seek immediate medical care for unusual symptoms.
The outbreak has been most severe in Malabu community, Fufore Local Government Area, where residents say the illness begins like a boil, bursts, and gradually spreads, eating into flesh and damaging bones.
Victims shared harrowing experiences. Mrs. Phibi Sabo said her illness began with a boil that developed into an open wound, leaving her leg bones exposed. Another patient, Junaidu Adamu, revealed he had spent over ₦200,000 on treatment in two months without improvement.
The District Head of Malabu, Aliyu Hammawa, confirmed that at least 30 persons had been affected, with some receiving care at MAUTH while others remain in local health centres or at home.
The outbreak has renewed concerns about Nigeria’s capacity to respond to emerging health threats and the challenges posed by reliance on traditional medicine in rural areas.