Delayed polio campaign kicks off on Nov 6

Parents must ensure vaccination for children, says health department

LAHORE: The four-day polio campaign, which was earlier postponed due to the strike of health workers, will start from November 6. This was announced by the health department on Wednesday.

According to Chief Executive Officer Health Dr Ali Yadullah, the emergency helpline number 0900-0800 has also been activated to register complaints if vaccinators fail to reach certain houses or areas.

The department formed 4,452 teams and about 10,000 workers are taking part in the campaign which is aimed at eradicating poliovirus from the city.

He said that the strike came to an end due to successful negotiations with the workers. More than 10,000 workers will perform their duties during the drive.



The primary and secondary health department and district government have formed teams. About 348 of them will be deputed at bus stations, railway stations, entry and exit points of the city and basic health units, whereas 167 transit teams will also perform their duties.



The CEO said that teams are being activated under a comprehensive plan in all the union councils of the city. He added parents should ensure that drops are administered to their children aged between one and five years.

Talking to The Express Tribune, United Health Federation President Chaudhry Mushtaq Gujjar said the health department had accepted the demands of workers and assured that authorities would not sack a single employee. “Therefore, all employees have been called to start polio and dengue campaigns.”

Late on Tuesday, health workers called off their strike after their negotiations with the government proved successful.

Authorities also assured that a committee would be formed to decide which employees could be regualarised.

Earlier, while holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the privatisation of the health sector, more than 400 daily wage workers of the health department took to the streets. They held a sit-in on Tuesday in front of the office of the department’s director general.



On the same day, Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Health Khawaja Imran Nazir categorically announced that neither is any government hospital being privatised nor is any employee being removed from their jobs.

He said only the management of some hospitals was being outsourced, however, the assets and property would remain under the ownership of the government.

“Moreover, the government will provide a budget to run the hospitals and outsourcing is being done to ensure quality healthcare for patients at the medical facilities,” the minister said.

He added the days were gone when health officials got their salaries without attending office. “Now everybody has to work and those who do not fulfill their responsibilities will have no room in the new system,” he remarked.

The minister also assured that the rights of government employees would be protected and authorities would not be strong armed by a “few opportunists”.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2^nd, 2017.