PESHAWAR: The World Health Organisation has asked the government to expedite the customs clearance of the injections being imported from France for the people infected with cutaneous leishmaniasis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Sources told Dawn that the WHO had sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeking the customs clearance of the injection meant for cutaneous leishmaniasis patients in KP, which urgently needed it for being hit by a widespread outbreak.

They said the injections were reaching Pakistan within three days but their shipment could be delayed for at least two months and in that case, they wouldn’t serve the purpose for which they’re being imported.

The sources said the letter was sent to the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and KP health department as well.

KP hit by outbreak of skin problem

They said the WHO had pledged the supply of 11,500 Glucantime injections at the request of the KP health department for the people suffering from skin ailment.

The sources said the UN agency wanted speedy customs clearance of injections to benefit patients, which currently suffered due to unavailability of injections on the market.

They said the WHO was also in the process of importing17,500 more injections but awaited the necessary green light from the government.

The sources said the Medicines Sans Frontiers (Doctors without Borders), which ran the sole centre for cutaneous leishmaniasis patients in Peshawar, was helping the WHO procure injections but wanted the health services ministry to intervene to expedite the process.

They said the WHO, which had been facing the problem of the drug customs clearance in Pakistan for two years, was pushing the relevant authorities for necessary action to ensure the provision of timely care to the people needing emergency medicines.

The sources said the request was pending with the government with more than 20,000 patients registered by the health department awaiting treatment.

When contacted, provincial health secretary Dr Syed Farooq Jamil said his department would definitely process the customs clearance of medicines on emergency basis to benefit patients.

“We have already got 5,000 injections from MSF and some from NGOs, Pakistan Army and some from the open market,” he said.

The secretary said the MSF had imported 9,500 injections and 5,000 of them had been given to the health department, while the rest would be administered to patients at the centre functioning in the Naseerullah Khan Babar Memorial Teaching Hospital.

He said the centre received patients from Peshawar and its suburban areas like Matani and Badabher, and other districts.

“We have registered almost 21,000 cutaneous leishmaniasis patients but all of them don’t need active treatment with Glucantime injection,” he said adding that the WHO guidelines showed that not all patients needed injections.

Dr Jamil said the other treatments, including Fluconazole tablet, diathermy and wound care, were helpful in treating the skin infection.

“Almost 80 percent wounds are self-limiting,” he said.

The secretary said until the WHO drugs were delivered, the department had enough injections to treat patients.

“We have also started a campaign to educate the people on how to avoid bites by sand flies by using bed nets and covering the body’s exposed parts,” he said.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2019