Leishmaniasis in Pakistan: rapid response
In January 2002, a joint assessment mission of the Ministry of Health and WHO to the Northwest Frontier Province identified 5,000 cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Kurram Agency. The disease first appeared in refugee camps but quickly reached neighbouring villages where an anthroponotic (person-to-person) transmission occurred. As leishmaniasis was previously unknown in the area the local population had no immunity and there was a sharply increased risk of a severe epidemic. The rapid response identified immediate needs for 15 000 vials of pentavalent antimonials (first-line drugs) to treat the cases. WHO sent 13 000 vials to the WHO Country Office and the government of Iran pledged an additional 1 670 vials.
The mission recommended a plan of action to involve the Ministry of Health, WHO, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and nongovernmental organizations in the area to cover: the training of local health workers and the translation of guidelines into the local languages, intensified surveillance and vector control activities to prevent further transmission.
See the reports in Disease Outbreak Newsfor more details.