LARKANA, Oct 17: The Gomal University has agreed to establish a research center for the treatment of Leishmanisis in Larkana, a local health department official said on Thursday.

Prof Dr Sanaullah of the pharmacology department of the Gomal University, Dera Ghazi Khan, had visited Larkana in the first week of October, Dr Farooque Rehman Soomro said.

The National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, and the World Health Organization (WHO) would later join the fight against the causative element — the Sand Fly, Dr Farooque said.

He said that 18 cases were reported in Larkana centre on Thursday alone and cases are also being reported from Balochistan and other parts of Sindh.

This center may start working by the end of October, he said.

Other senior health officials — including the director malaria control, Dr Arif Munir — had recently visited for effective research and control of the Sand Fly.

The local health officials had also approached the WHO to evolve a joint strategy to eradicate the Sand Fly.

Dr Farooque ascribed the proliferation of Sand Fly on the unfinished preventive phase of the WHO-initiated programme.

The disease may again erupt in January as the Sand Fly is currently passing through its breeding period.

Stressing on the need for urgent steps to contain the Sand Fly, Dr Farooque said ineffective planning may lead to uncontrolled proliferation of the disease.

Man killed: A man, Nazir Hussain Gadhi, was killed on Thursday in the local fish market by Ghulam Ali Gadhi.

The killer later surrendered himself at the market police station along with a pistol used in the crime.

He said that he had killed the man to avenge the adulterous relations between the deceased’s father and one of his close relative woman about 15 years ago.

SNF office bearers resign: Three local office bearers of the Sindh National Front (SNF) resigned from their party posts on Thursday.

Those, who resigned are: the advisor to SNF chief Mumtaz Bhutto, Abdul Latif Bughio, the city president Munir Tunio and one of the member of the party’s central committed, Mohammad Murad Mengal. The SNF chief has accepted their resignations, the sources said.