KHAR: Rabid dogs bit nine people in different localities of Khar tehsil on Saturday.

Officials of the health department said that the dog bite incidents took place in Sadiqabad, Khar, Khoga Chena, and Ali Jan areas where at least nine people, including children, were bitten by rabid dogs when they were on way to their homes.

The victims were identified as Aisha Bibi, Jafar Khan, Abdul Shakoor Khan, Fayyaz Khan, Idrees Khan, Asim Khan, Adil Khan, Tayyab Khan and Ahmed Ali.

All the victims were taken to the Agency Headquarters Hospital, Khar, for treatment where some of them were later shifted to Timergara due to their critical condition.

The officials of local health department confirmed the incidents and said that nine victims were brought to the agency headquarters hospital for treatment.

Medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Ikramullah Safi, told mediapersons that some of victims had been referred to Timergara hospital owing to their critical condition.

PA takes notice of referral of some patients to Timergara

Meanwhile, the residents complained that the agency headquarters hospital was not providing treatment to the dog bite victims because there was no anti-rabies vaccine in the hospital.

Bajaur Agency political agent Abdul Amir Khattak has taken serious notice of the doctors refusing to treat the emergency patients. During a visit to the hospital on Saturday he expressed his dismay over the unavailability of anti-rabies vaccine at the agency headquarters hospital and other health units.

The political agent also met with agency surgeon Dr Wazir Khan and others senior officials of the local health department. The health officials told the political agent that there was no shortage of anti-rabies vaccine and others facilities in the agency headquarters hospital. They said that the doctors at emergency department were responsible for the matter because they had referred the victims to Timergara hospital without bringing the matter to their notice.

The political agent asked the health officials to take action against the doctors responsible for not providing treatment to the dog bite victims at the hospital.

Later, the officials agreed to form a joint investigation committee to probe the matter.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2016