DADU, March 8: A skin disease, leishmaniasis, which earlier spread in the hilly areas of Dadu district, has now hit some localities of Johi, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Dadu towns and their surrounding villages.

Around 1,200 cases have been reported in three taluka hospitals recently.

Dr Aftab Ahmed Soomro, a skin specialist at Dadu Civil Hospital, confirmed that cases of leishmaniasis were reported from . different localities of Dadu City including Marakhpur, Daro road, Adam Zour, Khudabad, Dadu-Moro road and also from some villages surrounding the city. He added that around 500 cases were registered at the hospital.

The civil surgeon of the hospital, Dr Javed Ahmed Dawach, said that 30 to 40 cases were being reported at the hospital daily. He said that the medicines required to treat leishmaniasis were available in the hospital.

The Nazim of union council-III, Dadu City, Mohammad Amin Mallah, said that the health department had not taken any preventive measures to control the disease and had not carried out spray to kill sand fly. He demanded to carry out the spray in Dadu City and surrounding villages.

The in charge, leishmaniasis control cell, Johi taluka hospital, Dr Qurban Soomro said that 1,024 cases of leishmaniasis were registered at his hospital. He informed that out of these cases, 300 patients belonged to various localities of Johi Town and surrounding villages.

The medical superintendent of the Khairpur Nathan Shah taluka hospital, Dr Khadim Hussain Lakhair, said that 1,400 cases were registered at his hospital, out of which 400 patients belonged to nearby villages of Khairpur Nathan Shah Town.

Sita Town UC Nazim Ali Mohammad Soomro said that the officials of the health department were not providing the medicines to treat the patients of leishmaniasis in the affected villages.

He appealed to President Gen Pervez Musharraf to announce a special package for the affected people and direct the Sindh governor to conduct inquiry against the officials of the health department who were not disclosing the facts and figures regarding leishmaniasis.