DADU, Feb 21: The Nazims of the union councils of the hilly area of Kachho have complained that the Sindh health department had failed to control skin disease, leishmaniasis, in the western belt of Khairpur Nathan Shah, Johi, Mehar and Sehwan talukas.

They said that neither spray had been carried out to eliminate the sand fly nor injections and other medicines had been provided to the patients, hence the number of the patients was increasing.

The Nazims alleged that Rs4 million was released by the Sindh governor and other funds were also provided by the Sindh government for the purchase of medicines but medical treatment was not provided in most of the affected areas.

On the reports of fresh cases, this correspondent visited the area.

Sawaro Union Council Nazim Ghulam Mustafa told Dawn that out of a population of 100,000 in his UC, 10,000 people were infected with leishmaniasis.

He said that the number of skin disease patients was increasing day by day in the villages including Qasim Rodhnani, Shehak Rodhnani, Golo Faqeer, Haji Farid Rodhnani, Fojoo Khan Rodhnani, Siddique Rodhnani, Hamzo Rodhnani, Baloo Jamali, Nooh Rodhnani, Razi Khan Rodhnani, Sawaro, Bahawal Babar, Kando Babar, Chhiddi and Jam Babar.

Mr Mustafa said that no medicine was provided to the patients of these villages.

He said that he had visited the office of the EDO (health), Dadu, and other officials to brief them regarding the outbreak of leishmaniasis in his area.

Complaining about the poor response from the officials, he said the EDO (health) and his teams had hardly visited two or three villages of his union council and only registered 150 patients.

Tore UC Nazim Nazir Ahmed said that around 5,000 inhabitants of the 12 villages, Tore, Rajodero, Chham, Meeran Kot, Sobo Doltani, Barri, Jalabdero, Pai, Ketion, Torrion, Miro Pat and Bakhshi jo Khooh were infected with the skin disease.

He deplored that no team of doctors from the government or NGO side had visited these villages.

Drigh Bala UC Nazim Sikandar Ali told that half of the population of village Haji Khan, Faiz Mohammad Leghari, Bachal, Noor Mohammad Leghari, Sher Mohammad Babbur, Bazmal, Nangar Daryo, Ferodero and Sevo Jamali was infected with leishmaniasis.

He also complained that he had personally informed the EDO (health), Dadu, but to no avail. He said that no spray had been carried out in the villages.

Ms Sadia Atta Mehmood, chairperson of an NGO, Child Development Organization, told this correspondent that 200 patients from 42 villages of Kachho area had come to their health centre, Sahara. She said that 50 patients of Johi town were also brought in serious condition to the centre.

The medical superintendent, Johi Taluka Hospital, Dr Mohammad Hashim Thaheem, said that 750 new patients from Kachho area had reported at the hospital and they were providing the antimony injection and other medicines to them.

Mr Thaheem confirmed that the number of leishmaniasis patients was rising day by day.

The medical superintendent, Taluka hospital, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Dr Khadim Hussain Lakhair, told that the cases of leishmaniasis were increasing in the western side of Khairpur Nathan Shah taluka. He said that 1200 patients from different villages of the taluka, including Mian Naseer Mohammad, Bug Burira, Kore, Mir Mohammad Gadhi, Gozo, Mado and Salary, were admitted to the hospital in a serious condition.

Dr Lakhair said that the health department had only provided 700 vials of the antimony injections and 1,20,000 tablets for the 1200 patients which were not sufficient, while around 2,000 more villagers were infected.

When contacted, the EDO (health), Dadu, said that medical teams had visited different areas and had registered 5,006 patients of leishmaniasis.

He said that the health department had provided 7200 vials of injections and tablets and syrups, while Lasmo and BHP had provided 6,000 injections and other medicines.