07 January 2005	Friday	25 Ziqa'ad 1425

HYDERABAD, Jan 6: The director-general of health services, Sindh, Dr Hadi Bux Jatoi, has proposed an aerial spray against sand fly in large areas of Sindh and Balochistan to contain skin disease leishmania. Other wise, he warned, the disease will continue to torment haunt people till March.

He told a press conference in his office here on Thursday that the bite of a sand fly caused a wound on the body which could be treated with four doses of Glutamine injections and, in severe cases, seven doses of injections into muscles.

He said that the health department had sent mobile teams to the affected areas, especially in Dadu district, and urged villagers to go to health units if a medical team did not arrive in their village, adding that it was not possible for the health officials to reach every village.

Dr Jatoi said that he had sought Rs5 million from the Sindh government inNovember keeping in mind that the spread of the disease had become an annual feature in areas bordering Balochistan between December and March.

Quoting figures of leishmania patients, he said that so far 489 people had been inflicted with the disease, including 402 in Dadu, 70 in Jacobabad, 10 in Larkana and seven in Naushahro Feroze. He added that last year, 4,163 people had been affected by the disease.

He warned that season of the disease was still going and more patients may approach health facilities. He said that 2,000 anti-leishmania injections, Glutamine, had been sent to Dadu district whereas 3,000 injections were available with the health department. He said that it was not a contagious disease and people should completely cover their bodies at night.