MANSEHRA: The Upper Kohistan district administration on Friday launched a survey to assess livestock losses from flash floods earlier this year.

“We should ensure an early completion of this livestock loss survey to compensate those whose cattle and sheep were killed by the recent flash floods and other natural disasters across the district,” Upper Kohistan deputy commissioner Tariq Ali Khan told a meeting in Dasu.

The meeting was attended by heads of the livestock and revenue departments.

The deputy commissioner said livestock, including sheep, were killed in the calamity before their owners approached the district administration for compensation, but to no avail.

“Officials of the livestock and revenue departments will ensure an early survey completion so that affected cattle families are compensated,” he said.

DC promises early distribution of compensation

Mr Khan directed both departments to expedite that survey’s completion in line with the government’s policy and instructions.

The participants also finalised a strategy to reach out to families in calamity-hit areas as part of their job to assess losses.

HEALTHCARE: The maternal, newborn and child health programme on Friday provided medical equipment for establishing 14 health houses to ensure quality care for pregnant women and newborns in remote areas here.

“We want to bring down mother and infant mortality rate in rural parts of the district and this is why 14 graduate midwives are provided with equipment to establish health houses in their respective villages,” district health officer Dr Shah Faisal Khanzada told a ceremony held at Community Midwifery School in the King Abdullah Teaching hospital here.

He said it was an initiative undertaken by the MNCH programme to provide safe delivery and healthcare services to pregnant mothers and newborns through skilled birth attendants.

“Trained midwives will provide pre- and post-healthcare and obstetrics services to women at their thresholds in rural parts of the district,” he said.

On the occasion, social organiser of MNCH programme in Hazara division Hameed Turabi said that the programme was working on such initiatives to bring down mother and infant mortality rates in the province.

“Hundreds of midwives have passed out from the Kath midwifery school and are serving communities in remote areas of our district,” he said.

Meanwhile, Village and Neighbourhood Councils Ittehad president Malik Mohammad Mumtaz on Friday said the provincial government should honour its commitments to local body members without further delay.

“Over three years had passed for elections of local governments in the province but we are still without funds and rights enshrined in LG Act, 2013,” he told reporters here.

Accompanied by Ittehad’s other leaders, he said Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had announced the release of funds to village and neighbourhood councils in Peshawar earlier this year, but no action was taken on the announcement.

“If Mr Gandapur doesn’t honour his commitments, we’ll stage a sit-in outside the provincial assembly,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2024