Manso-Nkwanta (Ash), May 17, GNA - Dr Samuel Nyarko Etuaful, Medical Superintendent in-charge of the Saint Martin's Catholic Hospital at Agroyesum, has urged the Amansie West District Assembly to provide incentives to health personnel who volunteer to work at the hospital to serve as a moral booster to them.

He explained that providing incentives to the personnel would induce them to stay and render services to the hospital whose main service is caring for Buruli Ulcer patients.

Dr Etuaful was introducing Dr Kwaku Boateng Arthur who has been posted to the hospital to the Amansie West District Assembly at its meeting at Manso-Nkwanta on Thursday.

The Medical Superintendent, who also briefed the assembly on the state of the Buruli Ulcer in the district, said about 60 per cent of all Buruli Ulcer cases at the hospital are sent from the Amansie West district.

He mentioned districts like Atwima, Ahafo-Ano North in Ashanti, Upper Denkyira in the Central Region and parts of Brong-Ahafo as areas where cases are brought from, adding that about 70 per cent of all the cases were children under 18 years.

Dr Etuaful urged the people to report early to the hospital or clinic any boil that may be found on one's body for the early treatment. He commended the assembly for putting up a Buruli ulcer block at the hospital at the cost of 450 million cedis and said it would greatly help in the treatment of the disease.

Mr Joseph Adomako, the District Director of Health Services, hinted that video clips on Buruli ulcer would soon be shown in all the 86 communities in the district for the people to see the devastating nature of the disease and the need for all to assist in its combat. 17 May 04