Passengers fled buses because of my skin condition — Anambra content creator

Kosisochukwu Okafor was 20 and preparing for university after a gap year when a severe illness began in October 2022. At first, she thought the headaches and itching on her scalp came from malaria, a common illness in Nigeria.

While cutting her hair, she noticed fluid coming from her scalp. A nearby nurse and chemist gave her antibiotics, but the condition worsened after a week. The chemist then said it was chickenpox and began giving her injections.

When her family returned, Okafor could no longer walk. She tried drinking and bathing in waterleaf water after her sister suggested it as a treatment for chickenpox. The condition continued to deteriorate. People described it as a spiritual attack, and the family visited traditional and religious sites as well as different hospitals.

Okafor was eventually taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Abuja. Doctors performed a biopsy by removing part of her skin for testing. The result identified the condition as psoriasis, after which she said her health began to improve. She is the last of seven children from Anambra State and now works as a content creator.