Polio immunisation: Teams’ lack of CNICs, bank accounts delay stipends

WHO and PM’s polio cell express concern.

ISLAMABAD:

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Prime Minister’s Polio Monitoring and Coordination Cell have expressed concern over Quetta administration’s claim that over 1,900 polio immunisation team members do not have Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs).

In a letter sent to Balochistan chief secretary on October 1, the WHO and the PM’s polio cell stated that payments will only be made under the Direct Disbursement Mechanism (DDM) in a bid to stop embezzlement at the district level.

The issue came to light when polio team members in Quetta were asked to send their CNIC numbers and details of bank accounts to get their stipends after the end of the vaccination drive. The Quetta deputy commissioner (DC) wrote to the provincial health secretary, informing him that the team members do not have CNICs.

“Doctors have flatly refused to work with DDM this time, as per their statement they do not have CNICs or bank accounts,” the DC stated. However, the letter signed by the doctors supervising the polio campaign states that they would be willing to provide their services if team members with CNICs are inducted in their place.

Shockingly, the DC decided to take the stance that DDM cannot be implemented, instead of supporting the WHO and the federal government, according to a source working in the PM polio cell.

According to official documents with The Express Tribune, an emergency meeting was convened by the PM Polio Monitoring and Coordination Cell recently at the WHO country office, during which the implementation of DDM in Quetta was discussed in detail.

Participants expressed concern over polio teams going door-to-door without CNICs in a city where law and order is at its worst. They said another reason could be underage polio team members, which is another violation of the international standards set by WHO.

WHO Senior Coordinator for Polio Vaccination Dr Elias Durry reiterated that DDM is the only viable option and WHO’s financial regulations do not allow for any deviation.

Last month, 31,699 children were missed during the national polio campaign, while there were 10,760 parental refusals. A new polio virus named circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) has been recently confirmed in the region and it has affected five children so far.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2012.