PESHAWAR, April 26: The World Health Organization has asked the federal health ministry to prepare a leishmaniasis control programme as the skin disease is spreading fast in some areas of the country. The problem had been aggravated by the fact that there was no programme in place for the control of the disease and at present its prevention was being looked after by the Malaria control programme, said an official.

“The WHO has pledged $70,000 for the control of the disease this year and promised that it would provide more funds in future,” he said and added that the world health agency wanted the government to start an independent leishmaniasis control programme.

Initially, the programme would be launched in high risk districts and in later phases could be extended to other areas.

The official said an accurate data regarding the disease’s prevalence in the country was not available and there was a need to put in place a surveillance system. In the absence of such a data it was impossible to determine the extent of the problem or to prepare preventive strategies.

This disease is not part of the health management information system (HMIS) and was not among the priority diseases that were being monitored through this system, he added.

The WHO planned to strengthen the surveillance system at the district level by receiving monthly reports on leishmaniasis cases on the HMIS forms.

The official said training would be imparted on reporting, analysis, feedback on reporting form of the HMIS and the disease early warning system in every province to health professionals in every province.

A one-day training or refresher course would be conducted in selected districts for medical officers and in charge of health facilities on reporting of leishmaniasis through the HMIS forms, he added.

According to him, evaluated and feedback reports will be sent to executive district officers, health offices while the final analysis report will be sent to the Ministry of Health in Islamabad.

The official said that plans were being made to establish a leishmaniasis control programme in the federal health ministry.

“It is perceived that leishmaniasis is going to stay and affect people for decades to come. In order to control this disease it is essential to appoint dedicated health professionals,” he added.

Since leishmaniasis was relatively a new disease most doctors and health professionals did not know how to diagnose or treat it, he said, adding that two-day training would be imparted to doctors in each province on diagnosis of leishmaniasis both clinically and through laboratory.

Training of master trainers on treatment protocols of the WHO for leishmaniasis had also been planned, he said and added that each master trainer would then train health professionals in high risk districts.