WHO enhances national efforts to prevent the spread of leishmaniasis in Syria
Leishmaniasis is serious disease, spread by sandflies which bite uncovered parts of the body. It goes undetected during the first phases of infection, as patients experience no more than the effects they would from a regular mosquito bite. Once a few months have passed, the lesion begins to swell abnormally.
WHO cooperates with different health partners to reduce the suffering of the Syrian people caused by leishmaniasis, by offering treatment for infected patients, by providing preventive measures such as bed nets against the sandflies, or by conducting spraying campaigns in heavily infested areas.
“My son, Omar, had a lesion on his cheek. I thought nothing of it at first, until over 2 months had passed with the lesion still present,” said Um Omar from rural Aleppo. “When I heard about the WHO-supported mobile clinic visiting the village a few months ago, I rushed for a consultation. The doctors diagnosed Omar with leishmaniasis, and immediately referred him to the Al-Furkan Centre in Aleppo to receive the proper treatment,” she added.