[leish-l] Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (07)

[Fred R. Opperdoes]

At 9:47 -0400 4/07/02, ProMED Digest wrote:
>Date: Wed, 3 Jul 2002 09:46:44 -0400 (EDT)
>From: ProMED-mail <promed at promed.isid.harvard.edu>
>Subject: PRO/EDR>
>
>LEISHMANIASIS - AFGHANISTAN (07)
>*******************************
>A ProMED-mail post
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>Date: Tue 2 Jul 2002
>From: George A. Robertson <geo456 at comcast.net>
>Source: Reuters 1 Jul 2002 [edited]
>
>
>Leishmaniasis epidemic hits Afghanistan
>- ---------------------------------------
>Leishmaniasis is sweeping through Afghanistan, infecting some 270 000
>people whose resulting facial sores often make them social outcasts, the
>World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.The United Nations agency
>appealed for $1.2 million to buy drugs and insecticide-treated bednets to
>combat what it called the largest single outbreak of leishmaniasis. "This
>is one case where a remarkably small amount of money could make an enormous
>difference," WHO said in launching the 2-year emergency programme. "But we
>need to act now."
>
>Philippe Desjeux, in charge of leishmaniasis control for WHO, said that at
>least 300 000 Afghan refugees returning to Kabul as well as international
>aid workers were also at risk as they lacked immunity."There is a huge
>epidemic in Afghanistan... It is not a fatal disease but highly disfiguring
>with a strong stigma and exclusion of the family," Desjeux told a news
>briefing. "If we can be very massive in our intervention, on a large scale
>in Kabul, we can change the situation," he added. At least 200 000 people
>are believed to be infected in Kabul, along with an estimated 70 000 people
>in three other major Afghan cities -- Herat, Kandahar, and Mazar-i-Sharif
>- -- Desjeux said.
>
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