In the aftermath of the attacks on polio workers in Quetta and Charsadda, UN agencies on Thursday restricted the movement of its staff across Pakistan.
WHO representative in Pakistan Dr Michel Thieren called it a routine step taken by the UN agencies to ensure the security of its staff.
“They all will continue to work while sitting in their offices but will not go in the field,” Dr Thieren told The Express Tribune.
Asked how its staff intended to carry out polio drives without going out in to the field, he said: “Once the security situation is clear, they will resume their field work.”
While quoting a statement issued by the WHO, he said that it has applied a standard and routine measure to limit its staff and contractor’s exposure to any unsettled security situation.
NHSRC’s formal request
On the other hand, considering the situation’s graveness, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (NHSRC) on Thursday sent a formal request to the ministries of interior and defence to convene the first meeting of Cabinet Committee on Immunisation at least a week ahead of the anti-polio drives scheduled from December 8.
The Cabinet Committee was constituted on the directions of the prime minister.
A senior official working closely with Polio Eradication Programme in Pakistan on the condition of anonymity informed The Express Tribune that the Cabinet Committee would ask to assist in the provision of security to the provinces and Fata to overcome the shortcomings that are hindering the anti-polio drives.
Emergency vaccination
Sources in WHO in Quetta have confirmed that the workers and team leaders had not taken part in the emergency vaccination campaign in Quetta.
However, offices of the WHO were opened in Quetta and the staff resumed their jobs. “The offices are functional as a normal day. However, we have been asked to restrict our movements. Take proper security measures while travelling,” WHO sources said.
New polio case
A new poliovirus case was detected in a nine-month-old boy in Qila Saifullah district, the first such case in the district, on Thursday. The total cases in Balochistan reached to 15 this year.
The official confirmed the polio virus in Hikmatullah, nine-month-old, who was given three doses during the routine immunisation campaign.
Earlier, five cases were reported in Quetta, seven in Qila Abdullah, one in Zhob, Khuzdar and Qila Saifullah.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 28th, 2014.
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