LAKKI MARWAT: After surge in malaria cases, the health department with the support of Indus Hospital and Health Network (IH&HN) on Sunday started distributing long-lasting insecticide nets among people to help contain the vector-borne disease in Lakki Marwat district.

Frontier Primary Healthcare malaria control programme’s district coordinator Azmat Ali Shah said trained supervisors had been deployed at mass distribution points to provide mosquito nets to people on showing coupons already provided to them.

He asked the people to collect free nets at the nearest distribution points.

According to statistics of the district health department, a total 17,810 malaria cases were reported from parts of the district in the first nine months of the ongoing year. During this period, the health workers carried out screening of 152,112 suspected patients with fever and shivering symptoms.

Over 17,500 malaria cases reported in district this year

Health department’s entomologist Jameel Khan and focal person Aziz Khan said the mosquito nets were being provided to citizens at 95 distribution points, including 15 mobile units.

POLICEMAN DIES: A policeman, who was injured in an attack during polio duty, died at a hospital in Peshawar on Sunday.

Head constable of Frontier Reserve Police Mohammad Ashraf Khan was injured in the attack in Sabukhel locality in Bannu on Nov 29. He was referred to Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar in critical condition, where he died.

His funeral prayers were offered at the Iqbal Shaheed Police Lines, Bannu.

Meanwhile, speakers at function held on Sunday said the charter of human rights presented by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the torch-bearer for the entire world, saying the objectives of tolerance, peace, freedom and justice, economic prosperity and equality could be achieved by moulding lives according to the teachings of the last prophet.

The function was arranged by the district boy scouts association in Lakki city to mark International Human Rights Day.

Boy scouts also shed light on the importance of human rights in their speeches.

“Islam is the greatest custodian and defender of human rights as it had determined the rights of women, children, neighbours, teachers, adults and even animals and birds 1,400 years ago,” a speaker said.

The speakers said the criminal silence of the west on Israeli bombardment of the people of Gaza, especially women and children, was a clear example of their double standards about human rights.

They also highlighted the violations of human rights in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. They asked the teachers and students to raise awareness about human rights in the light of teachings of Islam.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2023