Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) also known as Doctors Without Borders, an international medical humanitarian organization, has expressed its concern over increase in number of Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) cases registered at its facilities across Pakistan.
“The number of patients visiting MSF clinics across Pakistan has steadily increased over the years,” said Suzette Kämink, MSF cutaneous leishmaniasis expert. In a press release issued here on Monday, Suzette Kamnik said Balochistan and KyberPakhtunkhwa are the worst affected provinces, but this treatable neglected tropical disease, is also found in Sindh, Kashmir, and central and southern areas of Punjab.
The press release is issued in connection with World Non-Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day to be observed globally on Jan 30. The increase in incidence of CL infection in 2022 to 2023 has been exceptional as 95 percent increase as recorded in Bannu and 75.5 percent in Peshawar, the statement disclosed.
A similar trend is seen in Balochistan, for example in Kuchlak, one of three CL clinics that MSF is supporting, we registered 69.9% more cases than the previous year, as well as CL being reported in areas where the disease was not normally present,” she added. The skin disease is caused by a parasite, transmitted by the bite of phlebotomines and fly.
