Several employees facing dismissal from service over the exposure of their inadequate performance in a quality assessment survey of a polio vaccination campaign in October have returned to duty during an ongoing drive.
The Lot Quality Assessment Sampling (LQAS) survey had shown unsatisfactory results for four union councils in the district. The WHO had conducted the survey through an independent third party.
On November 16, the CEO of Bahawalnagar District Health Authority, Dr Riaz Ahmed, had forwarded a request for the dismissal from service of 18 junior employees to the DG of the department, holding them responsible for the unsatisfactory third-party assessment.
The results were related to an anti-polio campaign carried out from October 2 to 6 in the Union Councils Urban 2 Chishtian, 52 Fateh, 226-9R and 327-9R in Fort Abbas.
A symbolic protest was also made by the employees. The last polio campaign of the year began on November 27.
The federal health ministry has set a target of vaccinating 44.3 million children against polio during the campaign.
The campaign will continue till December 3 and 585,468 children will be vaccinated in Bahawalnagar, according to an announcement by the deputy commissioner.
The authorities concerned have formed 2,786 field teams for the vaccination, including 136 operating at fixed spots, 2,572 mobile and 88 transit teams.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 1st, 2023.
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