MANSEHRA, Oct 19: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has provided two modern machines to hospitals in Hazara division for prompt diagnosis of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

`Tuberculosis has been spreading in Hazara division and to bring it under control, the government has provided two machines to hospitals in Abbottabad and Battagram areas for diagnosing it (tuberculosis) merely in three hours,` said Dr Shahzad Ali, the district health officer Battagram, on Thursday.

Dr Ali told reporters that because of greenery and abundance of livestock the people of Hazara division, particularly in Battagram area, were vulnerable to the deadly disease.

The district health officer Battagram said that with the help of new machines installed at hospitals in Battagram and Abbottabad tuberculosis could be diagnosed within three hours.

`This will facilitate early start of the treatment which is an important step in curbing MDR-TB,` said Dr Ali.

The district health officer Battagram said that anti-rabies and snakebite vaccines had also been made available to save lives of the victims.

KILLED: A man was killed and scores of other persons were injured when two rival groups exchanged heavy fire over a land dispute in Madakhel area of Torghar on Friday.

Local police said that Asim Khan and Khushal Babbi groups had a dispute over a piece of land.

They said that one group was threshing crop when it was attacked and as a result Asim Khan was killed and some other persons sustained injuries.

Judbah police have registered FIR against both the groups.