BAJAUR: The local livestock and dairy development department here on Sunday launched a campaign to protect cattle from lumpy skin disease (LSD) in Bajaur tribal district.

District director livestock Dr Ziauddin told mediapersons that the campaign had been launched in line with the directives of director general livestock, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Alam Zeb Khan and deputy commissioner Iftikhar Alam to keep animals safe and control any spread of the disease in the district.

Several vaccinators and veterinary doctors are taking part in the campaign, an official said and added that hundreds of animals in various areas of the district were vaccinated against LSD and other diseases.

Dr Ziauddin said that besides conducting anti-ticks spray on animals, the officials also conducted awareness sessions in several areas to brief the local farmers about the preventive measures against LSD.

He said that scores of animals were also sprayed/vaccinated at Toorghundi and Darbano checkposts, the two main entry and exit points of the district with Lower Dir and Mohmand tribal districts.

GOVT CRITICISED: People and political activists of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf here on Sunday lambasted the federal government for its plan to stop funding for health insurance scheme in merged districts and warned to show resistance if the decision was not withdrawn immediately.

PTI’s provincial minister Anwar Zeb Khan in a statement condemned the federal government for its move to discontinue funding for the health insurance programme for the tribal people.

MNA Gul Dad Khan also expressed his concern over the PML-N-led federal government’s decision to stop funds for the health card scheme in tribal districts.

In a statement, the lawmaker said the decision to stop funds for the health scheme would deprive over six million residents of tribal areas of free treatment facilities.

MNA Gul Zafar Khan also expressed his anger over the government’s plan to discontinue funding for the health scheme.

Published in Dawn,June 20th, 2022