LOWER DIR: The Al-Khidmat Foundation arranged a special screening camp for cleft lip and cleft palate children at its Zwall Baba Hospital here on Sunday.

Hospital’s managing director Majidullah and Jamaat-i-Islami’s district general secretary Eng Yaqubur Rehman told reporters on the occasion that a total of 20 children were screened, who would be sent for surgery to Peshawar.

They said children with cleft lip and cleft palate would be provided with free treatment.

They said the screening camp was aimed to identify patients and provide them with proper medical care. They said so far hundreds of such patients had been operated upon and the service would continue in future.

Mr Majid said patients and their parents were also provided with transport fare.

A specialist doctor told reporters that cleft lip and cleft palate were caused by a combination of genes a child inherited from parents, and it was usually treated with surgery, speech therapy and dental care.

He said obesity during pregnancy and lack of folic acid in mothers also caused cleft lip and palate. The expert suggested green leafy vegetables, beans, fresh fruits and aquatic food for mothers during pregnancy to overcome folic acid deficiency.

TRADERS FINED: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Halal Food Safety and Halal Food Authority has collected Rs95,000 fine from shopkeepers for selling substandard, expired or mislabeled items in Lower Dir.

An official said such food items were seized and discarded.

Meanwhile, district food controller Kashid Ihsan along with food inspector Shabir Ahmad raided shops in Timergara, Mian Banda and Zawal Baba, checked the official price list, quality and expiry of food items.

He directed the traders to strictly follow the official price list and avoid profiteering and hoarding.

Meanwhile, Timergara assistant commissioner Dr Nida Iqbal sent a butcher to jail for selling substandard meat.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2024