MINGORA, Nov 10: A poor man, living in a rented mud house here, has been striving hard to earn enough money to arrange for the treatment of his three sons who are suffering from thalassaemia for last few years.

Mohammad Wazir, 35, resident of Tindudag, told Dawn that he had to spend Rs48,000 every month on the treatment of his three sons, Salman, 11, Nauman, 7, and Adil, 4.

He said while his brothers were daily wagers in Peshawar he sold Swati shawls on a roadside in his village to earn livelihood.

Mr Wazir said he had been fighting for the lives of their sons for last 11 years, adding he was now unable to continue treatment of his thalassaemia affected sons.

`I am earning on average Rs12,000 per month and have to arrange Rs48,000 for treatment of his sons monthly.

He said that there were thousands of thalassaemia patients in Swat district, but unfortunately there was no government-run health centre for treatment of such patients, he said and added that there were two private thalassaemia centres in the district, providing just blood to patients.

`I am compelled to buy injections costing Rs30,000 per month and also have to go to Lahore for necessary tests as well,` said Mr Wazir.