PESHAWAR: The World Health Organisation in collaboration with provincial health department has launched a province-wide campaign to provide treatment to the people for leishmaniasis and create awareness among people to stay safe from the parasitic skin disease transmitted by a hairy sand fly.

Dr Mohammad Assai Ardakani, WHO country representative, who visited Khyber Teaching Hospital along with director-general health Dr Shabina Raza on Monday, handed over glucantime, anti-leishmaniasis drug with high efficacy, for free treatment of patients belonging to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Fata and Afghanistan.

“We have also recommended to Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination to enlist glucantime at the earliest in view of increasing patients of leishmaniasis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata,” he said.

Dr Ardakani said that the province recorded leishmaniasis 15,000 cases, mostly from 15 high risk districts, during the past three years. He said that the ailment was endemic in many areas for which they supported the health department.

The disease was imported by Afghan refugees as Fata and KP witnessed its many outbreaks since they arrived. “It is a chronic disease for which we are providing training to 22 doctors, who work in basic health units and civil hospitals, at two-day workshop to provide treatment to local population,” said Dr Ardakani.

WHO provides drug for leishmaniasis patients

He said that they needed political and social support to reduce quantum of diseases so that people could enjoy better health facilities. He said that they were imparting training to master trainers, who would transfer the techniques to their colleagues at the facilities where they worked.

The WHO head said they had procured 20,000 injections for Fata to treat the patients, besides training doctors and health workers to enable them to identify the disease and start immediate treatment. “More cases are coming. Treatment is costly and unaffordable for people. Number of cases is more than the recorded ones,” he said.

Nek Dad Afridi, the hospital director of KTH, said that they agreed to develop dermatology ward at centre of excellence for management of leishmaniasis in collaboration with the WHO that would also act as provincial headquarters for treatment.

Prof Azer Rasheed, the head of dermatology ward, said that duration of treatment lasted four to five weeks. He said that the disease was curable. He added that an early contact with trained doctor could minimise harm to skin.

Dr Shabina Raza, director-general health services, said that the world health agency had provided 25,000 injections for supplying to hospitals. “Alongside treatment, we have also focused on advocacy regarding preventive aspect of the ailment that leaves scars and cause deformities. It is completely preventable if people use nets to avoid mosquito bites,” she added.

Dr Saeed Akbar Khan, WHO head for KP and Fata, said that they in collaboration with the health department planned treatment and awareness drives in the areas, which were exposed to the disease. He said that people should adopt protective measures like wearing full-sleeves and covering bodies, especially when asleep, to avoid the bites.

Amjad Ali, a member of Frontier Constabulary, was infected by the disease in Dera Ismail Khan but his wound spread for want of treatment. “One injection costs Rs6,000. I got one and didn’t have money to continue treatment,” he said. According to him, several of his colleagues had bites due to which they had developed the disease.

“Glucantime is the only recommended drug for the treatment. Other smuggled medicines used by patients have proved ineffective,” said dermatologists.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2017