KHYBER AGENCY - AHMAD NABI - The disease of Leishmania has turned into epidemic in Landi Kotal and all its adjacent areas as thousands of local tribesmen including a huge portion of children have got infected of the virus, local complaint. The more affected areas are Torkham, Gagra, Mulagori, Ash khel and Wali khel areas of tehsil Landi kotal, hospital sources said.
The thermo therapy technician in Landi kotal hospital Haji Tahir said that monthly one hundred patients of Leishmania are being providing medical treatment. Pointing scores of patients sitting outside his room for their turn, Tahir said, numbers of effectee increasing day by day and the total Leishmania patients have crossed figure of two thousands in the ongoing year.10-12 patients daily are provided the therapy and 1-3 doses need for the recovery of the disease, he said. Badshah Mir, resident of Surkamr, Sarkai, of tehsil Jamrud, who brought his four years old son, Shakir to Landi kotal hospital for therapy treatment said, for the last one year his son and a nephew have got the disease.
The Jamrud hospital is lacking of thermo therapy facilities therefore they have to travel 35 kilometers to Landi kotal for thermo-therapy.
Another tribesman, Ihsanullah hailing from Khuga khel and was buying injections from a private medical store for the cure of minor daughter Leishmania effectee said, being a poor taxi driver he has no other choice but to provide better treatment to his daughter as the hospital has no alternate treatment except therapy machine which has already under burden of thousands of patients. He demanded of the authorities concerned forthwith provision of one more thermo-therapy machine for the smooth and timely cure of the disease.
Medical Superintendent (MS) of Landi kotal hospital, Dr. Nazir Wazir said, the high ups of the health directorate Fata has been apprised of the whole situation being prevailed in Landi kotal hospital regarding Leishmania for appropriate steps.
According to Dr Fazle Raziq, in charge of skin department in agency headquarter hospital, Landi kotal, the disease cause biting of a kind of mosquitoes which turns into an eternal wound. If proper no treated it change into permanent spot, he remarked.
As preventive measures Dr.Fazle Raziq suggested use of anti-mosquitoes net while sleeping and asked the people not to let accumulate water in streets and drains for breeding of mosquitoes.
 He also stressed to contact the hospital in the earliest hours for free test in case of getting the disease.
The dwellers of Khyber demanded of Governor KPK, director health Fata and Political agent Khyber to provide with full set of needed things in curing of Leishmania.