TIMERGARA, Jan 26: A sharp increase has been noticed in the number of patients who visited the OPD and those admitted to the cardiac unit of the district headquarters hospital for heart-related problems in 2002 as compared to the previous year.

The fact came to the fore when the cardiology unit of the DHQ hospital, Timergara, released its patient data of 2002.

It revealed that 20 per cent increase was recorded in the number of outdoor patients, five per cent in the indoor patients and 20 per cent in the diagnostic procedure.

The area-wise data showed that 42 per cent patients were from Timergara, Balamdat and Talash sub-division, 24 per cent from Wari and Upper Dir, 17 per cent from Maidan and 17 per cent from Samarbagh sub-division and Bajaur Agency.