A mysterious and fatal disease kills 14 women in Bajaur Agency

A minimum of 14 women have lost their lives during the past one week while many others still suffer from a mysterious infection, of what appears to be a strage disease break-out in Warah Mamond - a remote area of Bajaur Agency.

According to reports the disease had hit people in the mountainous areas of Dabar, Badan, Saro Sha and surrounding localities of Warrah Mamond, 16 km from Khar, the agency headquarters.

“As many as 14 women have died within a week, while many others are infected after the disease spread in the area,” said Tahir Khan, a local tribesman.

Responding to questions, the Agency Surgeon - Dr Zakir Hussain also confirmed the prevalence of the disease and casualties of several women because of it in the area. The health condition of all the women who died from the disease was normal before being infected. They were between 40 and 50 years of age.

Talking to media, the surgeon said that the mysterious disease broke out among women in different areas of Warrah Mamond a week ago. He further stated that; “Several women have died within a week and many others are seriously affected by an unknown disease.” After visiting the affected areas, the surgeon observed that; a large number of women had been infected by the disease. The disease is serious and fatal and we have not seen indications of such a disease in the agency before.

Several health teams comprising senior doctors and paramedics had been sent to the affected areas to overcome the situation and identify the cause of the disease. The health department is making efforts to find out the main cause of the disease, adding that all patients died in a short time after contracting the disease. The administration had asked the local health department to arrange medical camps in the area to ensure medical care to the affected patients. Meanwhile, the residents have complained of lack of health facilities for the infected women in the area and expressed concern over the situation.