SWABI: Many children have been affected by measles in the district and locals have demanded of health department to take prompt measures to control ‘outbreak’ of the disease.

Nizar Khan, a resident of Lalbeg village, told Dawn that his two daughters were suffering from measles and many children in his neighbourhood were also affected by the disease. He said two daughters of his brother Fazl Mohammad were also suffering from measles. He added that the number of measles-affected children continued to increase in the area.

Kamran Khan, a labourer from Ooch Khawar area, said that his two sisters were suffering from measles and the disease was rapidly spreading to other children in their area.

A doctor in district health office, when contacted, said that they had recorded 222 cases of the ailment so far. He said that they only record those children, who visited Bacha Khan Teaching Hospital Shahmansoor, but it was learnt that a number of parents were treating their children at home.

The record of local health office shows that measles cases have been reported in Kabghani, Anbar, Gar Munara, Panjpir, Saleem Khan, Batakara, Tarakai, Maneriu Bala, Batakara, Bamkhel Tandkoi, Check Nodah, Manki, Maneri Payyan, Bacahi, Beka, Jhanda, Kotha, Marghuz, Swabi Khas, Topi, Shahmansoor, Khalabat, Chota Lahor, Jalsai, Gandaf, Tordher, Naranji, Sodher, Yaqoobi and Zarobi. Health officials urged parents to take all possible precautionary measures to protect their children from measles. “Immediately contact us if you see the symptoms of this disease in your children and the health team will visit your home immediately,” they added.

INJURED: Three members of a family were injured when a motorcar went out of control and hit the safety wall of Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway near Karnal Sher Khan Interchange on Thursday.

On receiving information from rescue control room, emergency medical team along with the ambulance was dispatched to the site of the accident.

The injured were identified as John Mohammad, 58, his wife and Mohammad Adil, 32. They belong to Islamabad. The injured were taken to Bacha Khan Teaching Hospital Shahmansoor.

Meanwhile, two teenagers identified as Sudais Khan and Shaheer Khan were injured when their motorcycles collided with each other in Marghuz village on Thursday.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2024