[Leish-l] FW: PRO/AH/EDR> Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan

[jeffrey shaw]

-
From: ProMED-mail <promed at promed.isid.harvard.edu>

Date: 2010/10/16
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan
To: promed-ahead-edr at promedmail.org




LEISHMANIASIS - AFGHANISTAN

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A ProMED-mail post

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Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2010

Source: Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan; World Health

Organization [edited]

<http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/MCOI-8A8GUN?OpenDocument>





13 million Afghans at risk of contracting leishmaniasis

-------------------------------------------------------

The World Health Organization (WHO) today launched its 1st global report on

neglected tropical diseases. In the light of an ongoing leishmaniasis

outbreak in Herat, Afghanistan, WHO -- along with the Ministry of Public

Health and the Afghan Red Crescent Society -- used this opportunity to

raise awareness about and advocate for neglected diseases in Afghanistan,

with special emphasis on leishmaniasis, a disease that threatens the health

of 13 million vulnerable Afghans, especially women and girls.



In Kabul, commonly considered as the world capital of [cutaneous]

leishmaniasis, the number of new reported cases rose dramatically from the

estimated yearly figure of 17 000 to 65 000 in 2009, mainly among women and

girls.



"This number is likely to be the tip of the iceberg as cases are grossly

underreported owing to poor diagnostic tools and the stigma that is

attached to this disease," said Peter Graaff, WHO representative to

Afghanistan.



[Cutaneous] leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease transmitted through the

bite of certain species of sandfly. The major symptom is skin sores which

erupt weeks to months after the person has been bitten.



Leishmaniasis is both preventable and curable. Preventable through bed

nets, and curable through medical treatment. "The high cost of treatment

makes it difficult to integrate anti-leishmaniasis drugs into the Basic

Package of Health Services," said Her Excellency Dr Suraya Dalil, acting

minister of public health. "I urge donors to take this cause seriously, as

it causes unnecessary suffering amongst a large number of Afghans."



"Addressing stigma, early diagnosis and early treatment is the way to go

about tackling this disease," said Fatima Gilani, director of the Afghan

Red Crescent Society. "Protecting people from leishmaniasis is affording

them the right to life with dignity."



For more information, please contact:

Dr Kargar Nooroghli, Ministry of Public Health

Walid Akbar Sarwary, Afghan Red Crescent Society

Aanchal Khurana, World Health Organization

<KhuranaA at afg.emro.who.int>



--

communicated by:

ProMED-mail

<promed at promedmail.org>



[In ProMED-mail's last posting on leishmaniasis in Afghanistan, we cited a

study finding that 8.3 per cent of children had signs of cutaneous

leishmaniasis (Leishmaniasis ­ Afghanistan 20070508.1487). The estimated

population of Afghanistan is about 30 million, with an expected lifespan at

birth of 44 years for both males and females

(<http://data.worldbank.org/country/afghanistan>). Leishmania was ignored

under the Taliban regime and appeared as a major health problem after the

fall of that regime. - Mod.EP



The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Afghanistan can be accessed at

<http://healthmap.org/r/0c2A>. - Mod.SH]



[see also:

2007

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Leishmaniasis ­ Afghanistan 20070508.1487

2003

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Leishmaniasis - Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan: military 20031024.2669

Leishmaniasis - Iraq: comments (02) 20030612.1445

Leishmaniasis - Iraq: comments 20030602.1348

Leishmaniasis - Iraq: RFI 20030531.1331

Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan 20030909.2267

2002

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Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (07) 20020703.4662

Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (06) 20020629.4633

Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (05) 20020515.4212

Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (04) 20020523.4304

Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (Kabul): alert 20020508.4134

1996

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Infectious diseases - Afghanistan 19960802.1377]



.................ep/ejp/sh







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