37 workers fired over ‘poor’ performance

Sacked daily-wagers claim they were laid off on flimsy pretexts

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi District Health Authority (DHA) has dismissed around 37 daily wage sanitary workers, citing poor performance during the anti-dengue drive.

According to sources, a notification for the termination of the dengue sanitary patrol workers has been issued. As per the notification, 27 male and 10 female workers are among those who have been sacked.

The health authority said the performance of the sacked employees had remained unsatisfactory during the last couple of months. Their performance indicators on the official dashboard were also cited to be poor.

Health officials maintained that a zero-tolerance policy was being implemented against the dengue sanitary patrol workers who have shown poor performance.

On the other hand, three female workers whose services were laid off told The Express Tribune that they were daily wagers and were fired on flimsy pretexts.

The workers said any of the competent officials could review their performance by paying a visit to the areas where they were deputed during the last two months. They said if any citizen or household in the area complained about their work, they would accept the blame for poor performance without any hesitation.

The dismissed workers alleged that it was a trick and an excuse of the administration to lay off workers after every peak season of dengue outbreak.

They predicted that by the last week of this month and the first week of the next month, another 100 to 200 employees will be sacked on the same pretext due to the reduction in the number of dengue cases. “The administration uses such tactics every year in November and December for downsizing,” they alleged.

Meanwhile, dengue cases continued to surface despite a significant drop in the temperatures of the twin cities. According to sources, dengue patients continued to land in three major hospitals in the garrison city as 38 more people tested positive for the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the tally of total dengue cases in the district to 4,456.

During the last 24 hours, 118 patients were admitted to government hospitals of which, 49 patients were admitted to the Benazir Bhutto General Hospital, 38 to the Holy Family Hospital and 31 to the District Head Quarters Hospital. At least 31 patients from different areas of Islamabad were also admitted to these hospitals, an official said.

Rawalpindi District Health Authority Chief Executive OfficerDr Ansar Ishaq said no respite was in sight despite changing weather. He hoped the cases to decrease after the temperatures fall below 14 degrees Celsius. He urged citizens to use mosquito repellents to avoid more cases.

The CEO said that the anti-dengue campaign will be in full swing until the cases start declining. “We are fixing 100 per cent case response because we want to eliminate dengue,” he said.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2022.