Health workers determined to vaccinate children in districts where their colleagues died
Policemen on motorcycles will accompany vaccination teams.
The government is keeping the dates of the campaign hidden so that the security of the health workers is not compromised. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
"My father told me not to leave the house after my fellow lady health workers were killed last month. My family said that risking my life for a paltry sum of money was not worth it. However, I didn't want any child to suffer from the crippling disease, and so decided to take part in the ongoing polio eradication campaign in the city."
Samina Rasheed, a lady health worker quit her job after seemingly coordinated attacks killed four female polio workers in the city last month. However, Samina and several other members of the All Pakistan Lady Health Workers Association are preparing to take part in a three-day polio eradication campaign in the city's East and West districts.
"We will sweep areas where our colleagues were martyred. We won't quit because of militants who want to defeat us in our mission to eliminate polio," said the president of the association, Nasim Munir on Tuesday.
Tough times
For 44-year-old Riaz Shah, the memories of that ill-fated December day are still afresh. His wife Fehmida, and niece, Madiha, were among the polio workers who were killed last month. But now his sister wants to administer vaccines to children in their locality.
"Our family sacrificed two women. Yet my sister would be stepping out because she wants to show the criminals that lady workers are not afraid of their threats," said a worried Shah.
Families of the slain polio workers recently received Rs500,000 in compensation from the government. They also received monetary compensations from political parties. But for Shah, the money amounts to nothing when compared to what he lost on that December morning.
"My life partner of 25 years is gone. The money will provide a living for my children for some time, but it won't bring my Fehmida back."
Shah has registered a murder case against the killings, and said that he wants to fight for justice so that no other woman becomes a victim of similar incidents. "Fehmida and Madiha were shot just five minutes from my home. What was their fault? They were only doing their duty."
Police investigation
Police officials claimed to have arrested the culprits behind the murders of two polio workers. However, they have yet to nab those involved in killing Fehmida and Madiha.
The Crime Investigation Department had recently claimed that it had arrested five members of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan after a shootout in Ittehad Town. Officials had said at the time that the suspects were involved in killing two female polio workers. However, the chief of the Anti-Extremist Cell, Chaudhry Aslam, told The Express Tribune that the suspects were not involved in killing Fehmida and Madiha.
"We are still investigating the incidents. The TTP has several splinters in the city, and terrorists behind the killing of polio workers in Landhi [may] belong to some TTP-affiliated group."
Security for vaccinators
After the attacks, the government decided to deploy policemen on motorcycles to cover vaccinators as they go from house to house. The police and Rangers would also cordon off areas before the vaccinators would entered them.
DIG East Aleem Jaffery told The Express Tribune that two police officers would be assigned to every vaccination team. Police vans would also be patrolling in troublesome areas. The federal government on Tuesday directed the provincial government authorities to not name the localities where the drive would take place, citing security reasons for the vaccinators.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 16th, 2013.
"My father told me not to leave the house after my fellow lady health workers were killed last month. My family said that risking my life for a paltry sum of money was not worth it. However, I didn't want any child to suffer from the crippling disease, and so decided to take part in the ongoing polio eradication campaign in the city."
Samina Rasheed, a lady health worker quit her job after seemingly coordinated attacks killed four female polio workers in the city last month. However, Samina and several other members of the All Pakistan Lady Health Workers Association are preparing to take part in a three-day polio eradication campaign in the city's East and West districts.
"We will sweep areas where our colleagues were martyred. We won't quit because of militants who want to defeat us in our mission to eliminate polio," said the president of the association, Nasim Munir on Tuesday.
Tough times
For 44-year-old Riaz Shah, the memories of that ill-fated December day are still afresh. His wife Fehmida, and niece, Madiha, were among the polio workers who were killed last month. But now his sister wants to administer vaccines to children in their locality.
"Our family sacrificed two women. Yet my sister would be stepping out because she wants to show the criminals that lady workers are not afraid of their threats," said a worried Shah.
Families of the slain polio workers recently received Rs500,000 in compensation from the government. They also received monetary compensations from political parties. But for Shah, the money amounts to nothing when compared to what he lost on that December morning.
"My life partner of 25 years is gone. The money will provide a living for my children for some time, but it won't bring my Fehmida back."
Shah has registered a murder case against the killings, and said that he wants to fight for justice so that no other woman becomes a victim of similar incidents. "Fehmida and Madiha were shot just five minutes from my home. What was their fault? They were only doing their duty."
Police investigation
Police officials claimed to have arrested the culprits behind the murders of two polio workers. However, they have yet to nab those involved in killing Fehmida and Madiha.
The Crime Investigation Department had recently claimed that it had arrested five members of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan after a shootout in Ittehad Town. Officials had said at the time that the suspects were involved in killing two female polio workers. However, the chief of the Anti-Extremist Cell, Chaudhry Aslam, told The Express Tribune that the suspects were not involved in killing Fehmida and Madiha.
"We are still investigating the incidents. The TTP has several splinters in the city, and terrorists behind the killing of polio workers in Landhi [may] belong to some TTP-affiliated group."
Security for vaccinators
After the attacks, the government decided to deploy policemen on motorcycles to cover vaccinators as they go from house to house. The police and Rangers would also cordon off areas before the vaccinators would entered them.
DIG East Aleem Jaffery told The Express Tribune that two police officers would be assigned to every vaccination team. Police vans would also be patrolling in troublesome areas. The federal government on Tuesday directed the provincial government authorities to not name the localities where the drive would take place, citing security reasons for the vaccinators.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 16th, 2013.