All the 192 machines meant for spraying insecticides to prevent kala-azar in Bhaluka upazila under the district have become dysfunctional as brass levers of the machines went missing from a government hospital.

Consequently, spraying of insecticides to destroy the bloodsucking sand fly that causes the disease in the area could not be started on the scheduled day Friday, said sources.

Authorities, however, started spraying the insecticides on Tuesday after arranging 95 machines from four upazilas of Mymensingh and Gazipur districts, said Dr Md Hafizur Rahman, Bhaluka upazila health and family planning officer.

When the staff of the hospital went to the observation room on the ground floor of Bhaluka Trauma Center on Thursday morning to bring out the machines for cleaning, they found brass levers of all the machines missing and informed the authorities, said Dr Md Hafizur Rahman, Bhaluka upazila health and family planning officer.

On information, a team led by Mymensingh Civil Surgeon Dr Mustafa Kamal visited the spot on Thursday night.

A three-member probe body headed by Dr Sheikh Abu Zafar, and comprising Dr Mustaq Ahmed and Dr Masud Helali Ruman was formed on Friday to investigate the matter.

The machines, each worth Tk 25,000, were procured from World Health Organisation six years ago, said hospital sources.

These were used to spray medicines to prevent kala azar in vulnerable areas, mostly places with mud houses, twice a year, they said.

Each time the spraying continues for four weeks.

During the remaining ten months of the year, the machines are kept at the observation room of Bhaluka Trauma Center as there is no suitable store room at Bhaluka Health Complex, said Dr Hafizur.

A general diary was lodged with Bhaluka Police Station on April 21 night.

Md Mamun-or-Rashid, officer-in-charge of Bhaluka Police Station, said, "The stealing shows that there was not proper security arrangement for the machines. A section of office staff might be involved with the act. We are conducting drives to recover the stolen brass levers."