Female staff for a change

60 female staffers, including community and social mobilisers, will be hired for anti-polio activities across Bajaur

Bajaur is the smallest of the agencies in Fata. Neigbouring Afghanistan and often in the midst of conflict and victim to terrorism, Bajaur is often quite inaccessible as are many agencies in Fata.

Despite opposition, the United Nations Children Fund (Unicef) has decided to hire female staff for its polio eradication activities in Bajaur Agency, according to sources. At least 60 female staffers, including community and social mobilisers, will be hired for anti-polio activities across the agency.

Female health workers are extremely important since they will act as the interface between these rural households and the health system. In addition to polio campaigns, they would visit families monthly to promote family planning, offer advice on nutrition and hygiene, and create demand for antenatal care, childhood immunisation and use of skilled birth attendants. Independent evaluations over the years have consistently shown improved health outcomes on a range of primary healthcare measures in populations when female staff is involved.

In a similar vein, researchers recently completed a study of a new method of giving healthcare to women in northern Nigeria. They found women and children would use health services more frequently when they could see a female health worker. Northern Nigeria is a conservative area with a population that is mostly Muslim. Dr Sally Findley, a professor at Columbia University Medical Centre, co-wrote the report on the study. Findley found that although male health workers do travel from town to town in Nigeria, many women patients do not want to talk with a man about their own healthcare needs.

Because most hired staff in this case in Bajaur will be locally-known women, their presence will increase access to conservative households and decrease refusals. This will be absolutely vital for the eradication of polio in the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th, 2017.

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