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-<br>From: <b class="ecxgmail_sendername">ProMED-mail</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:promed@promed.isid.harvard.edu">promed@promed.isid.harvard.edu</a>></span><br>
Date: 2010/10/16<br>Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan<br>To: <a href="mailto:promed-ahead-edr@promedmail.org">promed-ahead-edr@promedmail.org</a><br><br><br><br>
LEISHMANIASIS - AFGHANISTAN<br>
***************************<br>
A ProMED-mail post<br>
<<a href="http://www.promedmail.org" target="_blank">http://www.promedmail.org</a>><br>
ProMED-mail is a program of the<br>
International Society for Infectious Diseases<br>
<<a href="http://www.isid.org" target="_blank">http://www.isid.org</a>><br>
<br>
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2010<br>
Source: Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan; World Health<br>
Organization [edited]<br>
<<a href="http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/MCOI-8A8GUN?OpenDocument" target="_blank">http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/MCOI-8A8GUN?OpenDocument</a>><br>
<br>
<br>
13 million Afghans at risk of contracting leishmaniasis<br>
-------------------------------------------------------<br>
The World Health Organization (WHO) today launched its 1st global report on<br>
neglected tropical diseases. In the light of an ongoing leishmaniasis<br>
outbreak in Herat, Afghanistan, WHO -- along with the Ministry of Public<br>
Health and the Afghan Red Crescent Society -- used this opportunity to<br>
raise awareness about and advocate for neglected diseases in Afghanistan,<br>
with special emphasis on leishmaniasis, a disease that threatens the health<br>
of 13 million vulnerable Afghans, especially women and girls.<br>
<br>
In Kabul, commonly considered as the world capital of [cutaneous]<br>
leishmaniasis, the number of new reported cases rose dramatically from the<br>
estimated yearly figure of 17 000 to 65 000 in 2009, mainly among women and<br>
girls.<br>
<br>
"This number is likely to be the tip of the iceberg as cases are grossly<br>
underreported owing to poor diagnostic tools and the stigma that is<br>
attached to this disease," said Peter Graaff, WHO representative to<br>
Afghanistan.<br>
<br>
[Cutaneous] leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease transmitted through the<br>
bite of certain species of sandfly. The major symptom is skin sores which<br>
erupt weeks to months after the person has been bitten.<br>
<br>
Leishmaniasis is both preventable and curable. Preventable through bed<br>
nets, and curable through medical treatment. "The high cost of treatment<br>
makes it difficult to integrate anti-leishmaniasis drugs into the Basic<br>
Package of Health Services," said Her Excellency Dr Suraya Dalil, acting<br>
minister of public health. "I urge donors to take this cause seriously, as<br>
it causes unnecessary suffering amongst a large number of Afghans."<br>
<br>
"Addressing stigma, early diagnosis and early treatment is the way to go<br>
about tackling this disease," said Fatima Gilani, director of the Afghan<br>
Red Crescent Society. "Protecting people from leishmaniasis is affording<br>
them the right to life with dignity."<br>
<br>
For more information, please contact:<br>
Dr Kargar Nooroghli, Ministry of Public Health<br>
Walid Akbar Sarwary, Afghan Red Crescent Society<br>
Aanchal Khurana, World Health Organization<br>
<<a href="mailto:KhuranaA@afg.emro.who.int">KhuranaA@afg.emro.who.int</a>><br>
<br>
--<br>
communicated by:<br>
ProMED-mail<br>
<<a href="mailto:promed@promedmail.org">promed@promedmail.org</a>><br>
<br>
[In ProMED-mail's last posting on leishmaniasis in Afghanistan, we cited a<br>
study finding that 8.3 per cent of children had signs of cutaneous<br>
leishmaniasis (Leishmaniasis Afghanistan 20070508.1487). The estimated<br>
population of Afghanistan is about 30 million, with an expected lifespan at<br>
birth of 44 years for both males and females<br>
(<<a href="http://data.worldbank.org/country/afghanistan" target="_blank">http://data.worldbank.org/country/afghanistan</a>>). Leishmania was ignored<br>
under the Taliban regime and appeared as a major health problem after the<br>
fall of that regime. - Mod.EP<br>
<br>
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Afghanistan can be accessed at<br>
<<a href="http://healthmap.org/r/0c2A" target="_blank">http://healthmap.org/r/0c2A</a>>. - Mod.SH]<br>
<br>
[see also:<br>
2007<br>
---<br>
Leishmaniasis Afghanistan 20070508.1487<br>
2003<br>
---<br>
Leishmaniasis - Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan: military 20031024.2669<br>
Leishmaniasis - Iraq: comments (02) 20030612.1445<br>
Leishmaniasis - Iraq: comments 20030602.1348<br>
Leishmaniasis - Iraq: RFI 20030531.1331<br>
Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan 20030909.2267<br>
2002<br>
---<br>
Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (07) 20020703.4662<br>
Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (06) 20020629.4633<br>
Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (05) 20020515.4212<br>
Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (04) 20020523.4304<br>
Leishmaniasis - Afghanistan (Kabul): alert 20020508.4134<br>
1996<br>
---<br>
Infectious diseases - Afghanistan 19960802.1377]<br>
<br>
.................ep/ejp/sh<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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