Many children have been affected by measles in the Swabi district and locals have demanded of health department to take prompt measures to control ‘outbreak’ of the disease according to Dawn news.
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, Cheek 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.