1897
Sir Albert Cook, English Doctor in Uganda, describes a type of skin ulcer, which corresponds to today‘s picture of the Buruli ulcer disease. His discoveries are not published and remain unnoticed by the world of medical expertise.
1948
Professor Peter MacCallum and his colleagues describe a disease in six patients in Australia. An accurate description of the disease is elaborated and is introduced to the world of experts. The virus is called "mycobacterium ulcerans".
1960 - 1970
Many cases of the affliction are reported in Uganda. There are reports from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Papua New Guinea as well. Buruli is the name of the region in Uganda, where most of the cases of that time originate. The disease, thus, receives its name "Buruli ulcer".
1980
Buruli ulcer gradually develops into an ever-increasing problem predominantly in West Africa.
1997
In December 1997, the General Secretary of World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Hiroshi Nakajima, visits the Ivory Coast. He declares there that WHO wishes to take on the leadership in the fight against the disease. Buruli ulcer has developed into a serious problem of public health in the affected countries.
1998
WHO initiates the "Global Buruli Ulcer Initiative – GBUI" and organises the first international Buruli ulcer conference in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast. The result is the "Yamoussoukro Declaration on Buruli Ulcer", which ought to draw worldwide attention to the dangers of the disease and the plight of the affected.
2001
We become a member of the "Global Buruli Ulcer Initiative" and start with our initial preliminary activities for our fight against Buruli ulcer in Cameroon. An inspection in the region of Ayos and Akonolinga in Cameroon leads to the discovery of over 400 Buruli ulcer afflictions.
2002
We start with our activities against Buruli ulcer in Cameroon. The nursing home in Ayos is extended into a treatment and operation centre.
2004
A national survey of the frequency of Buruli ulcer with our support is carried out countrywide in Cameroon. Hundreds of new cases are detected in not yet inspected regions. The frequency of Buruli ulcer throughout Cameroon is calculated at about 4,000 cases per year. After the survey, Cameroon declares Buruli ulcer as a national problem for public health. A Buruli monitoring programme is established with us as the most important partner.
2004
The 57th World Health Assembly passes a resolution on Buruli ulcer. It is recognised as a threat to health even on the world scale.
2005
The "Global Buruli Ulcer Initiative" decides upon a new and uniform strategy in the fight against the disease.
2009
In March WHO calls for the intensification of the fight agains Buruli Ulcer in the Declaration of Cotonou. Many heads of states affected by Buruli Ulcer have adopted this declartion and assured their support.
Further information on our local Buruli work can be found here:
Since 2008 UBS Optimus Foundation has been supporting research efforts in Buruli Ulcer. Seven research institutions over the whole world are trying to understand better, how the disease is spread and how it can be treated more effectively. FAIRMED is one of the field research partners with its local office in Cameroon. Our office in Berne has the mandate from UBS Optimus Foundation responsible for the distribution of funds and controlling of its appropriate use.
WHO brought the „Global Buruli Ulcer Initiative – GBUI“ into being in 1998. At Yamoussoukro in Ivory Coast, the "Yamoussoukro Declaration on Buruli Ulcer" was formulated.
Therein, the countries with Buruli ulcer commit themselves to improve the care of the victims of the affliction. At the same time, an appeal is made to the international community to render help.
The GBUI assembles every year in March at the WHO office in Geneva, in order to consult on the developments in the fight against Buruli ulcer and to coordinate the next steps.We are actively involved in GBUI since 2001.
In March 2005, a strategy against Buruli ulcer is declared by GBUI.
The most important tasks are determined as follows:
- Improvement of the early detection of the affliction in the community
- General education on Buruli ulcer among the population
- Training in Buruli diagnosis for basic medical services and volunteers (e.g. teacher)
- Consistent treatment of the affliction ("case management")
- Accurate diagnosis through laboratory analysis
- Strengthening of the health services in their work for Buruli patients
- Measurement and evaluation of the monitoring work ("Monitoring und Evaluation")
- Social mobilisation and lobbying for the fight against Buruli ulcer and for the affected people as well as cooperation based on partnership.
