KOHAT, Oct 26: The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) has constituted four teams to provide healthcare and food to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of eight union councils under the mother and childcare programme.

Project coordinator Nayyar Khan Ghalib told newsmen on Tuesday that the Unicef had allocated Rs16 million for the programme, of which Rs9 million was being spent on provision of food and medical facilities. He said that Rs7 million was being consumed by salaries and other expenses.

He said that pregnant women were provided check-up facility by lady health visitors and complete kit for safe birth at homes. The programme will continue till the end of November.

Mr Ghalib claimed that so far 77,000 IDP families had benefited from the project. They have been vaccinated against malaria, provided food such as energy biscuits, medicines and distributed 11,400 mosquito nets. Under the project, 5,000 pregnant women have so far been treated, he said.

These facilities are available in Urban-I, Urban-V and Urban-VI areas, and union councils of Jarma, Lachi, Kharmato, Dhoda and Bilitang. COMPENSATION:

Policemen who lost their family members in the September 7 car bomb blast at Police Colony received compensation cheques at a ceremony held here on Tuesday.

Commissioner Khalid Khan Umerzai, DIG police Masood Khan Afridi and DCO Shahidullah Khan distributed the cheques worth Rs12.4 million among the heirs of 19 people, mostly children, martyred in the blast. Over 90 people who were wounded in the terrorist attack were also given compensation amount.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Umerzai assured the aggrieved policemen that sacrifices being rendered by them and their families would never go waste and ultimately militants would be defeated.

He said that the work on the construction of new police colony would start soon to provide accommodation to the low-salaried policemen.