Putting the foot down: Won’t vaccinate children in Ramazan, says LHWs
Workers say it’s too hot to go door-to-door to vaccinate children
Workers say it’s too hot to go door-to-door to vaccinate children. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
MULTAN:
Scores of lady health workers staged a demonstration in Dera Ghazi Khan on Wednesday saying that they would not participate in polio inoculation campaigns during Ramazan. They said they could resume the campaign after Eidul Fitr.
The protesters held up placards and banners and shouted slogans. They said it was “cruel” of the Health Department to expect them to go door-to-door to vaccinate children in extreme weather. They also cited security reasons for the refusal.
Lady Health Worker’s Union president Asifa Javaid said lady health workers would resume the anti-polio drive after Eid ul Fitr. “Workers cannot continue the anti-polio drive during Ramazan because of extreme weather and security concerns.” She said lady health workers risked their own lives to perform their duties. “We cannot participate in an anti-polio campaign in the last 10 days of Ramazan because many people are unavailable…we have to handle aitekaf and Eid preparations as well. Going door to door to administer polio vaccination to the children in the harsh weather is very hard.”
She said most people preferred to sleep in while they were fasting. “They don’t even open the door when we knock,” she said.
Javaid said lady health workers were always pressured by the government. “Our services are never acknowledged.” The protesters demanded that the government postpone the anti-polio drive. Union general secretary Razia Sultana, vice president Fahmida Kousar others participated in the protest.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 23rd, 2016.
Scores of lady health workers staged a demonstration in Dera Ghazi Khan on Wednesday saying that they would not participate in polio inoculation campaigns during Ramazan. They said they could resume the campaign after Eidul Fitr.
The protesters held up placards and banners and shouted slogans. They said it was “cruel” of the Health Department to expect them to go door-to-door to vaccinate children in extreme weather. They also cited security reasons for the refusal.
Lady Health Worker’s Union president Asifa Javaid said lady health workers would resume the anti-polio drive after Eid ul Fitr. “Workers cannot continue the anti-polio drive during Ramazan because of extreme weather and security concerns.” She said lady health workers risked their own lives to perform their duties. “We cannot participate in an anti-polio campaign in the last 10 days of Ramazan because many people are unavailable…we have to handle aitekaf and Eid preparations as well. Going door to door to administer polio vaccination to the children in the harsh weather is very hard.”
She said most people preferred to sleep in while they were fasting. “They don’t even open the door when we knock,” she said.
Javaid said lady health workers were always pressured by the government. “Our services are never acknowledged.” The protesters demanded that the government postpone the anti-polio drive. Union general secretary Razia Sultana, vice president Fahmida Kousar others participated in the protest.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 23rd, 2016.