Stomach and intestinal diseases have reached alarming levels across several districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, driven by factors such as poor nutrition, contaminated water, extreme heat, and environmental pollution. Over the course of just one week, 34,701 cases of gastroenteritis and acute diarrhea were reported across various districts in the province.
According to the Health Department’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Report, covering the period from August 26 to September 1, Peshawar recorded the highest number of cases, with 4,443 reported. Swat followed with 3,995 cases, and the Bajaur tribal district reported 2,556 cases. Dera Ismail Khan and Nowshera were also severely impacted, each reporting over 2,000 cases. Other affected districts included Shangla, with 1,654 cases; Malakand, with 1,412; Dera Ismail Khan, with 1,240; Haripur, with 1,127; Chitral Lower, with 1,114; and Abbottabad, with 1,103. The fewest cases, only 42, were recorded in the mountainous Orakzai tribal district.