Missed children: Health officials asked to settle jurisdiction issues

PM’s polio cell writes letter to ICT and Rawalpindi depts to not compromise on vaccination.

ISLAMABAD:

A lack of initiative by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and Rawalpindi health departments to resolve outstanding issues of jurisdiction has resulted in putting over 28,000 children at risk of polio in the disputed areas.

Children under the age of five residing in six disputed areas were deprived of anti-polio vaccination during last three polio campaigns due to confusion over administrative control. The two health departments have to date not been able to work out which one will send polio teams to Bahria Town, DHA Phase 2 and DHA Phase 2 Extension, Industrial Area of Rawat, Media Town, Christian Colony near Sowan Adda, Police Colony, Dhoke Sawar and Qasimabad.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, a senior official at the Prime Minister’s Polio Monitoring and Coordination Cell, who wished not to be named said, the irresponsible attitude of concerned health departments was disappointing. How can they play like this with the lives of children who are the future of this country? he questioned. “The vaccination gap affects the immune system of children making them prone to the disease and the missed children are a source for spreading the poliovirus.”

Considering that the issue is still unresolved despite correspondence between the concerned health departments, the PM polio cell has written letters to both. “This situation is serious and needs to be immediately resolved on an emergency basis so that these children may be vaccinated in future anti-polio campaigns,” the letter stated.



PM’s polio cell has advised both departments to resolve the issue and assign teams to ensure coverage in these areas. Health officials have been directed to share their report with the cell as soon as possible.

The official said the PM’s polio cell had stopped announcing the dates of the anti-polio campaigns which hinders mass awareness due to security concerns. Parents do not make the effort to take their children to polio vaccination points if they have been missed during anti-polio drives, he added.

When contacted, Rawalpindi District Health Officer Dr Khalid Randhawa said they would assign polio teams to cover these areas at times but they were missed in the last three campaigns. The main issue is the confusion over the administrative control of these areas, which has not been worked out, he added. “A meeting will be held between both the health departments to resolve this issue in the coming week.” This is the first time health officials will be meeting to discuss the issue.

According to Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Amir Ali Ahmed, the ICT is carrying out the anti-polio drives in all the areas which fall under its jurisdiction for the last 30 years. “There has been no change in the capital’s boundaries, therefore ICT cannot go in those areas which are beyond GT Road as they fall in Rawalpindi district in principle.”

However, on humanitarian grounds, ICT usually assign its polio teams at the end of the anti-polio campaigns to visit some of these areas which are close to the capital to vaccinate children, he said. “But we will try to resolve the issue.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd, 2013.