DADU, Feb 9: The EDO, health, Dadu, Dr Khadim Hussain Lakhair, has said that the skin disease, Leishmaniasis, had spread in the western belt of Dadu and Larkana districts and 7,000 cases had been reported in Dadu and 3,000 cases in Larkana district during the previous year.

He was addressing a seminar on “Save the people from Leishmaniasis”, which had been organized by the Sudhar Sangat Goth at a local hotel on Sunday.

Dr Lakhair said that Leishmaniasis was not a contagious disease but spread through the biting of sand fly (vector).

He said that the disease started from Kachho of Dadu and some western parts of Larkana district in the beginning of 2001, but now it was uncontrollable.

He said that the sand fly lived in deserted and dirty places.

He said that the disease was only curable when a person suffering from it was injected with Gluecinetine.

Dr Lakhair said spraying was needed on an urgent basis to kill the sand fly.

He said that the health department with the help of NGOs was trying to control the disease in Dadu district.

A skin specialist, Javed Ghalloo, said that hundreds of cases of the skin disease had been detected in the district and the majority of patients were being treated at government and private hospitals.

He said the disease had also spread in the towns.

He warned that if precautionary measures were not taken on an urgent basis, the entire population of the towns in the district would be infected with the dangerous disease.

The chairman, Shabaz Welfare Association, Maula Bux Mastoi, also addressed the seminar along with other people.

Cop robbed: Five unidentified highwaymen robbed a police constable of his rifle, 20 bullets, cash and other valuable items on the Indus Highway near Mehar the other day.

The police constable, Mohib Ali Khaskheli, was on his way to Mehar in a taxi at the time of the incident.

The robbers also looted passengers of other vehicles.

The Mehar police registered a case against five unidentified accused.

The police arrested Khaskheli for negligence in duty and also picked up 26 suspects, including the taxi driver, Hamzo Chandio, for interrogation.