Slain employees of health dept, LRH nominated for civil awards

Staffers killed during polio drives, emergency workers part of list

PESHAWAR: Keeping in view the sacrifices of health department employees killed in polio campaigns, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has nominated their names for civil awards. The health department also nominated accident and emergency employees at Lady Reading Hospital.

A proposal, copy of which is available with The Express Tribune stated, “It has been decided to nominate those employees of the health department and Lady Reading Hospital accident and emergency department for civil awards.”

The nominees

The department nominated Expanded Programme of Immunization coordinator Swabi Dr Yaqeeb Khan who was gunned down by unidentified motorcyclists in Zaida area in the district on November 30, 2015. During his career, Yaqoob participated in 37 polio campaigns.

Similarly, lady health workers Sitara Gul and Kaneez Nargis were targeted on March 17, 2015 while they were administering polio drops to kids in Mansehra. The attack also resulted in the death of a police guard deputed for their security.

The K-P chief secretary has forwarded the summary to the government to finalise arrangements to confer awards.

The health department nominated the LRH accident and emergency department for a civil award for catering to the needs of not only the residents of K-P but also Afghan refugees and nationals seeking medical assistance at the facility.

LRH statistics

The LRH emergency department received at least 3.36 million patients in the last three years and 1,682 victims targeted in different terrorist attacks. In 2015, the department received 1.41 million patients. Around 33,000 minor and major surgeries were performed, while two million diagnostic tests were carried out by health experts in the facility.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 21^st,  2016.