Anti-polio drive: WHO volunteers should be above 18

KARACHI: The World Health Organization (WHO) has asked the country’s authorities to ensure that all volunteers it hires for the anti-polio campaign are above the age of 18. The volunteers should also have national identity cards and bank accounts. Workers’ stipends will be credited to their bank accounts after the end of the vaccination drive. The health department has passed along WHO’s request to district health officials. According to officials, volunteers will have to submit their NICs at the town health officer’s office. WHO originally used to give workers’ stipends to EDO Health, who would then transfer them to town health officials, who would then pay the field workers.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2012.