UPPER DIR, Jan 24: At least 21 children have died of cold-related illnesses, including pneumonia, during past three weeks in different areas of Kohistan, sources said here on Thursday.

They said that many affected children were still suffering at homes in the remote areas of Thal, Lamoti and Kumrat.

When contacted, executive district officer (health) Upper Dir, Dr Wakeel said that they had sent a medical team to the affected areas after an EPI official reported prevalence of pneumonia and other cold-related diseases there. He said that the team would also ascertain the number and cause of deaths.

The EDO said that the health department was making efforts to vaccinate children and provide medical treatment to local people.

An official of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) said that he had informed the health officials in Dir, the district headquarters, about the spread of pneumonia.

Residents of Thal, including Aurangzeb and Mir Badshah, said that the deaths reported in past few days included three children of Musafar Shah, a resident of Kumrat; three children of Misri Khan and two children of Qayas Gul, both residents of Thal.

They confirmed that health officials were making announcements from mosques, asking people to get their children vaccinated.

Health officials in Thal also said that the pneumonia was causing deaths in the area.

Mohammad Saeed, a health official in Thal, said that they did not have vaccines for pneumonia patients. He said that they had asked the Prime Minister’s Programme for Health Initiative (PPHI) to provide vaccines for six diseases, including pneumonia, which could affect children. “We are still waiting for arrival of the vaccines,” he said.

Dr Wakeel said that the PPHI team visiting the affected areas included a chest specialist and WHO representative. He said that he would be able to give his opinion about cause of the deaths after receiving report from the team.