Brass levers of the 192 insecticide sprayers that went missing from a government-run hospital in Bhaluka upazila under the district are yet to be recovered, nearly a month ago into the discovery of the incident.

Consequently, all the devices meant for spraying insecticides to destroy the bloodsucking sand fly that causes kala-azar in the area are lying inoperative.

Due to the situation, spraying of insecticides in the area could not be started on the scheduled day on April 22, said sources.

Authorities, however, started spraying the insecticides on April 28 after arranging 95 machines from four upazilas of Mymensingh and Gazipur districts and it will continue until May 24, said Dr Mustafa Kamal, civil surgeon (CS) of Mymensingh.

Three probe bodies, one formed by CS office and two others by Bhaluka Upazila Health Complex authorities, submitted their reports about the incident to the CS within seven working days.

But reports are yet to be finalised to submit them to the higher authorities, said the civil surgeon on Sunday.

Declining to comment on the findings of the reports, he said, "More probe bodies might be formed if necessary. If any office staff is found involved with the theft, departmental action will be taken against them."

When the staff of the hospital went to the observation room on the ground floor of Bhaluka Trauma Center on April 21 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.

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 sources.

Contacted, Md Mamun-or-Rashid, officer-in-charge of Bhaluka Police Station, said they are conducting drives to recover the stolen brass levers.

"Without involvement of the office staff, such a theft could not be committed," suspected the OC.