World Health Organization fears Leishmaniasis outbreak in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

PESHAWAR: The World Health Organization (WHO) in February warned of spreading skin disease leishmaniasis and called for precautionary measures and assured full treatment for the victims.

According to the report, World Health Organization officials said that "this year we have begun preparations to control the disease with the provincial government in view of the outbreak of the disease".

"The World Health Agency is contacting the Ministry of Health because the skin disease can spread throughout the country and a strategy is necessary to prevent it from spreading," he said.

It should be noted that 40,000 cases of leishmaniasis were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa last year, but patients are turning to WHO and MSF for injections not available in the local market, which is led by Nasrullah Khan Babar Memorial in Peshawar. The CL Center, established in May 2018 at the hospital, treated over 5,000 patients.

MSF is setting up another centre in Bannu where patients from tribal districts will be treated.