More than 200 patients, including children, suffering from leishmaniasis—a skin disease transmitted by sandflies—have been left without treatment at the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Landi Kotal for the past month due to a shortage of essential injections, according to patients and their families.
Patients Turned Away from Hospital
Relatives of affected patients reported that those visiting the hospital for treatment were being forced to return home without receiving the required medication. Many families cannot afford treatment at private healthcare facilities, leaving them with no options.
The families warned that the prolonged shortage is worsening patients' conditions and increasing the risk of complications. They urged elected representatives, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, and the Health Department to intervene immediately and ensure a supply of anti-leishmaniasis injections to the hospital.
Call for Fumigation Campaign
Authorities were also called upon to launch a fumigation campaign to control sandflies, which transmit the disease, in an effort to curb its spread in the area.
When contacted, an official at the Leishmaniasis Centre at DHQ Hospital Landi Kotal stated that the shortage of injections is being experienced nationwide and that efforts are under way to procure fresh supplies. The official said the District Health Officer (DHO) and other health authorities have already been informed of the situation and expressed hope that the shortage would be resolved soon.
Preventive Measures Urged
The official also urged residents to adopt preventive measures to protect themselves from sandfly bites. Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies.
