SHANGLA: Seven children of a family have died of a mysterious disease in Lelawnai area here during last one month, with one of them, a girl child, fell prey to the ailment on Monday.

The people said the mysterious disease was fast spreading in the Lelawnai village. They identified the victims as Zara Iqbal, 3, Abdal Shah, 4, Khushal Khan, 3, six-month-old Shoaib Akhter, one-year-old Akhter Ali, Hamza Khan, 3 and Habiba, 2.

The people said the victims belonged to family of Iqbal Shah, adding the affected children became lifeless in left hands and legs when the disease attacl
When contacted, Shangla District Health Officer Shafiul Mulk told Dawn that the deadly disease was a cause of concern and had panicked people. He said one of the victims, H abiba, 2, died on Monday, adding her body was still under investigation at the Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar. The DHO said the doctors were shocked over the mysterious disease.

PROTEST RALLY: Residents of Martung Makhozi on Monday demonstrated at ALoch Puran to protest closure of Shekawlai and Chawga hospitals for some years.

The protesters took out a procession on the local road, chanting slogans against the concerned authorities for their failure to make the hospitals functional. Later, they protested outside the Aloch police station, accusing the local lawmakers of taking no interest in reopening of the hospitals.

Assistant Commissioner,Puran, Shahid Mohammad held talks with the protesters and assured them that their demands would be forwarded to the authorities concerned, after which the protesters agreed to disperse. However, they threatened to come onto the roads again if their demand was not met by August 15.

S U B S T A N D A R D SNACKS: The local residents and social activists have complained that locally produced substandard snacks, chips, and other food items are causing different diseases among children in Shangla.

They said the doctors had time and again warned parents not to let their children buy such snacks and chips as these were injurious for their health.

It was learnt that some food products arrived in the local market from Afghanistan, which had no expiry date mentioned on them.

Medical Officer at Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Bisham, Dr Mansoor told Dawn that children got infections when they ate such foods. `Substandard foods with no expiry date mentioned on the wrappers are harmful for children`s health,` he warned, saying once children got used to eating such snacks, they began taking lesser meals because their stomachs were not feeling appetite.

Mr Mansoor said such substandard snacks caused diseases like hepatitis and typhoid.

`The government should take action against the factories producing snacks, chips and cold drinks. These factories are not maintaining proper hygiene,` he said.

When contacted, Shangla food controller Naveed Ahmed said he had sent samples of these snacks to laboratory in Peshawar.