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LARKANA, Jan 31: A two-member team of the World Health Organization arrived here on Thursday to undertake the survey regarding the outbreak of skin disease commonly known as Leishmanisis in the Kacho belt in Dadu and Larkana districts.
The team comprises of Dr Faizullah Kakar, an epidemiologist at the Islamabad WHO office, and Arif Munir, director, Malaria National Institute of Health, Islamabad.
They had a preliminary meeting with local health officials here where Dr Farooqur Rehman Soomro, known for his contributions in fighting against Leprosy, who had also worked on Leishmanisis, briefed them about the recent outbreak of the skin disease.
While talking to Dawn, Dr Soomro said that around 1000 cases had so far been found in the hilly areas of Larkana district that need urgent treatment while 200 are receiving regular treatment.
He said that the disease had spread from Qalat district of Balochistan and initially affected population in village Sono Khan Chandio, located near Gaibidero, Larkana. The patients in that village were treated on emergency ground and were cured. It later spread to Johi, Mehar, Shah Godrio and Thano Bola Khan in Dadu district due to the spell of dry weather. The disease spreads with the single bite of Sand Fly in the dry season coupled with the acute shortage of water.
Dr Soomro disclosed that presently the cases of Leishmanisis were found in village Buthee Laskhar, Junani Bangla, Qubo Saeed Khan, Hamal, Kachipul, Karani, Karira, Bero Chandio and Larkana city.
He said the injections supplied in past to the Larkana district health office by the WHO had been exhausted and new stock of medicines was direly needed to over come the outbreak.
A five-member team, with Dr Farooqur Rehman Soomro as its leader, has been constituted by the visiting team of the WHO that would visit the affected areas in Kasho in Dadu district on Friday and assess the degree of outbreak of Leishmanisis and submit report to the WHO.
The WHO team would arrange a seminar on Saturday ( Feb 2) in Larkana aiming at to train the taluka medical officers of the respective hospitals of Larkana and Dadu where the disease had erupted.
ARRESTED: The Shadadkot police during checking on Thursday seized one kilogramme of heroin being smuggled in a car to Larkana and arrested two persons.
The police checked a car (Karachi M-2599) on Kambar-Shahdadkot road and arrested Mohammad Yusuf Brohi and Arbab Ali Bohiyo and recovered the heroin. The car was also impounded.
The case was registered with the Shahdadkot police station.
SESSION: The District Council of Larkana met on Tuesday with Nazir Bughio was in the chair.
The council passed a unanimous resolution against the closure of the Shahdadkot Textile Mills and demanded of the government to put it in oSperation.
The mover of the motion, Amir Bakhsh Gaad, advocated the reopening of the mill and early payment of 20 months salaries to the labourers.
The council passed the resolution with the demand to stop the liquidation of the mill for it would cast adverse effects on the area.
Nazim Badaruddin Abbasi informed the council that the workers union was ready to purchase the mill. It would be better to offer them instead of putting it on the liquidation list.
A lady councilor, Talat Khursheed Khatyan, strongly protested over the lukewarm attitude of the convener of the council for either not incorporating her motions, in the council business or rejecting them without hearing.
