A severe typhoid outbreak has gripped Malakand district, with over 300 children from Batkhela Tehsil and Thana Baizai areas admitted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.
In response to the growing number of cases, the hospital has declared an emergency and established an additional isolation ward.
The worst-hit areas include Amandara, Alladhand Dheri, Dheri Julagram, and Khar, where a significant surge in typhoid cases has been reported.
According to hospital officials, most of the affected children are between the ages of one and ten.
Ali Muhammad, in-charge of the emergency unit at Batkhela Hospital, said, “We’ve seen an unusual rise in typhoid cases over the past few days. Dozens of children are being brought in daily with high fever, and most are diagnosed with typhoid.
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An extra isolation ward has been set up to manage the influx. We are providing the best possible care, but we urge parents to ensure hygiene and use only boiled or filtered water.”
Public Health Department worker Shehzad stated that they have cleaned water tanks and pipeline systems at multiple sites and applied chlorine to disinfect the water. “Gharibabad in Batkhela reported a higher number of cases, so it has been given special attention, and cleanliness operations are ongoing on a priority basis,” he said.
Speaking to TNN, the father of an affected child, Hadiya, said, “My daughter had a high fever for days. When we brought her to the hospital, doctors confirmed it was typhoid. We are extremely worried as many other children in our area are also sick. We lack access to clean drinking water, and sanitation is poor. We appeal to the government to take immediate action to protect our children.”
