Mycetoma remains neglected 10 years after WHO recognition
Ten years after WHO recognition, mycetoma remains a neglected tropical disease that causes severe disability and social stigma. The author highlights the lack of effective, accessible treatments for patients in affected regions like Ethiopia.
Why it matters
It draws attention to the global health disparity and the lack of funding and research for diseases that primarily affect impoverished populations.
A mycetoma patient holds an acacia thorn similar to one he stepped on that caused his infection. Mycetoma is a fungal or bacterial infection that can enter the body through any open wound. LUIS TATO/AFP via Getty Images By Borna Nyaoke-Anoke
Nyaoke-Anoke is a physician and the head of mycetoma disease at Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative.
When I met Tesfaye at Boru Meda General Hospital, he vaguely remembered the thorn. He was 15 when it pricked his foot, out in the fields somewhere in Mekdela, in north-central Ethiopia. He had noticed it in passing, then forgot about it.
Seventeen years later, that prick had severely damaged his foot, destroying its bones.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in