Mr Charles Gyamfi, Nkoranza South district disease control officer, has advised traditional healers, prayer camps and chemical sellers to refer health cases beyond their competence to hospitals and other health facilities. He deplored the practice and attitude of some herbalists and pastors who keep patients with chronic diseases at their camps for a long time before releasing them for medical attention. "A number of innocent lives have been lost though this practices", the disease control officer added. Mr Gyamfi was briefing the Ghana News Agency about how the district directorate of health services was dealing with buruli ulcer cases in the endemic area. He disclosed that the district recorded four cases of the disease in 2008, 13 in 2009 and five cases recorded as at the end of June this year. Mr Gyamfi mentioned some of the endemic places as Kwafre, Akumsa-Domase, Nkoranza Zongo, Nkwabeng, Abuontam, Makyinmabere, Donkro-Nkwanta and Dandwa. He said communities such as Tom, Bonte, Yefri and Pinihe in Nkoranza North District had reported cases of the disease and some patients from Ejura and Adiebeba in Ashanti Region had reported at Nkoranza. Mr Gyamfi commended the Medical Assistance Programme (MAP) International, a United States NGO, for assisting in treating cases in the district. He said MAP International had set up an office at Nkoranza to assist in the control of the disease and has also provided a Laptop computer, a projector, grafting machine and a motor-bike to the district health directorate. MAP International has been funding capacity training workshops for health personnel, teachers and opinion leaders to help control the disease. Mr Gyamfi urged patients to seek early treatment as any delay would lead to bone infection that could lead to the amputation of some parts of the body. Source: GNA