Polio workers targeted: LHW injured in Jamrud Civil Hospital blast

Bomb had been planted inside the polio eradication centre.

JAMRUD:

A Lady Health Worker (LHW) was injured in a bomb blast at the polio eradication centre in Jamrud Civil Hospital, Khyber Agency on Tuesday.

Khasadar officer Haji Tehsinullah, who was suspended later, said he was on duty when he heard an explosion inside the hospital around 8am. He rushed to the site along with other members of his team for rescue work.

An injured LHW identified as Samia Zaib was pulled out of the rubble. She had arrived at the office early to prepare for the anti-polio drive in the agency.

According to the bomb disposal squad (BDS), the bomb had been planted inside the washroom of the office.



Agency Surgeon Dr Sameen Shinwari said militants intended to target polio workers because the office where the blast occurred was used by LHWs and anti- polio campaign workers.

“If the blast had occurred a little later, it would have created havoc because all workers had been instructed to gather at the office at 8:30am,” said Shinwari.

The injured health worker was shifted to a hospital in Peshawar. Shinwari said he would inquire why the step was taken when the Jamrud Civil Hospital had the necessary facilities to treat her.

The explosion destroyed the LHW office as well as solar panels which had been installed to keep the medicine storage room cool. The agency’s health department and health services of the Fata Secretariat had installed the panels because of prolonged power outages in Jamrud. Vaccines for diseases like polio, measles and hepatitis were stored in the room.

Jamrud Assistant Political Agent Jehangir Azam Wazir has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

While talking to journalists, Azam said he had suspended three political administration officials, Faisal, Haq Nawaz and Mufti Munir along with five khasadar officials, Tehsinullah, Jehangir Khan, Bilal Khan, Shaukat Khan and Aimal Khan for negligence during duty. Seven hospital staffers have also been jailed pending investigations.

In late February, a policeman was shot dead while protecting a polio vaccination team near Mardan. Nearly 20 people have been targeted for their association with the anti-polio drive.

The World Health Organization, however, said last week it is crucial to push on with the fight to eradicate the disease despite a rising death toll among vaccination workers. Pakistan is among three countries which is still polio endemic.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2013.