Dozens affected by leishmania in Upper Dir

DIR: Dozens of people have been affected by leishmania in Upper Dir district and residents have demanded the provincial government to provide its injections and capsules to the District Headquarters Hospital and other hospitals. Leishmania patients said that they can't afford an expensive and long treatment because most of the locals lack the resources.

Dr Abdullah Shah, the focal person of a former project that worked to eradicate leishmania, said that the disease virus had entered Upper Dir for the first time in 2004 when some people were affected by in Jilaar area. He said later a non-governmental organisation worked on its eradication.

The increasing number of victims has panicked people in the district. Wari tehsil of the district has been affected the most where Khal, Akhgram, Jilaar, Kass Chapar, and other areas have reported the victim, being treated at hospitals and private clinics. Patients from Darora area have also been hospitalised.

The director general health Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Arshad Ahmad Khan, said during his recent visit to Dir that up to 2,100 leishmania patients had so far been registered across the province. Medical Superintendent Dr Imtiaz Ahmad said that leishmania injections were hardly available in the market and were imported from abroad, and “its capsules are also expensive.”