Immunisation activities: In the realm of fear, fight for polio continues
Amid militants’ ban on vaccines, steps being taken to protect children.
A woman administers polio vaccine to a child in Bannu. PHOTO: FILE
BANNU:
Parents are going to great lengths to immunise children after militants imposed a ban on polio vaccinations in North Waziristan Agency. Government officials are withholding money and identity documents from groups affiliated with the ban, and parents are travelling long distances to get their children vaccinated, in some cases smuggling the vaccine back home.
Abdul Hassan* emerged recently from a hospital in Bannu, just outside the agency, clutching his toddler son and niece. Their 100-km bus ride from Miranshah, was well worth it, he said, because he was able to get the children vaccinated. “The children have received polio drops and that is a relief,” he said. Militants in the area banned all polio vaccinations in June 2012, to protest the killing of civilians by drones.
“Around 200,000 children have been missed as a result of the ban in Waziristan,” said Mazhar Nisar, health education adviser at the Prime Minister’s Polio Monitoring and Coordination Cell.
Battling the ban
The government is trying to get the ban reversed. “We are making efforts to bring the ban to an end, so the anti-polio campaign can resume,” said Fawad Khan, health director at the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Secretariat in Peshawar.
Nisar said that the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa governor, officials at the FATA Secretariat and the political agent were “all attempting to talk to tribal elders and sort out matters so anti-polio drives could resume.”
In December 2012, the political agent for North Waziristan put in place measures that included denying tribal people of North Waziristan passports, national identity cards and other official documentation if community leaders don’t overturn the ban.
A small honorarium to tribal elders was also stopped and development work in some areas has been suspended. Militants had also imposed a polio vaccination ban in South Waziristan but Nisar said this had since been somewhat relaxed.
“They told me how to give the drops, and I brought home enough for two neighbours with small children. I was really scared the militants would discover what I was doing.”
A doctor, requesting anonymity, said, Generally people are allowed to bring children into the hospital to receive anti-polio drops, but teams are not permitted to move in the field to deliver them.” So far, the government’s tactics in North Wazirstan have not led to a relaxation of the unofficial community ban.
Parents act to protect their children
“Our children are still not receiving drops,” said Amina Bibi*, from near Miranshah. Bibi said she had seen “adults who had suffered polio” and “was scared of what could happen if the children are not protected.”
“Some parents take their children to larger towns like Peshawar or Bannu to receive the polio drops,” said Ayesha Hasan, a journalist.
“My son is too young to travel, so I went to Bannu and brought back some vaccines. Doctors there put it in a plastic bottle, packed ice around it and I hid it in a tin of dried milk,” Hazir Gul*, said. “I brought home enough for two neighbours with small children,” he said.
Javed Khan, who works at a clinic in Peshawar, said, “At least a dozen or so families have come to me over the past six months and taken vaccine home.”
Distrust, misinformation
An administrative official in Miranshah, said, “We know parents are bringing in vaccine. They are desperate, and we try to help discreetly.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 30th, 2013.
Parents are going to great lengths to immunise children after militants imposed a ban on polio vaccinations in North Waziristan Agency. Government officials are withholding money and identity documents from groups affiliated with the ban, and parents are travelling long distances to get their children vaccinated, in some cases smuggling the vaccine back home.
Abdul Hassan* emerged recently from a hospital in Bannu, just outside the agency, clutching his toddler son and niece. Their 100-km bus ride from Miranshah, was well worth it, he said, because he was able to get the children vaccinated. “The children have received polio drops and that is a relief,” he said. Militants in the area banned all polio vaccinations in June 2012, to protest the killing of civilians by drones.
“Around 200,000 children have been missed as a result of the ban in Waziristan,” said Mazhar Nisar, health education adviser at the Prime Minister’s Polio Monitoring and Coordination Cell.
Battling the ban
The government is trying to get the ban reversed. “We are making efforts to bring the ban to an end, so the anti-polio campaign can resume,” said Fawad Khan, health director at the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Secretariat in Peshawar.
Nisar said that the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa governor, officials at the FATA Secretariat and the political agent were “all attempting to talk to tribal elders and sort out matters so anti-polio drives could resume.”
In December 2012, the political agent for North Waziristan put in place measures that included denying tribal people of North Waziristan passports, national identity cards and other official documentation if community leaders don’t overturn the ban.
A small honorarium to tribal elders was also stopped and development work in some areas has been suspended. Militants had also imposed a polio vaccination ban in South Waziristan but Nisar said this had since been somewhat relaxed.
“They told me how to give the drops, and I brought home enough for two neighbours with small children. I was really scared the militants would discover what I was doing.”
A doctor, requesting anonymity, said, Generally people are allowed to bring children into the hospital to receive anti-polio drops, but teams are not permitted to move in the field to deliver them.” So far, the government’s tactics in North Wazirstan have not led to a relaxation of the unofficial community ban.
Parents act to protect their children
“Our children are still not receiving drops,” said Amina Bibi*, from near Miranshah. Bibi said she had seen “adults who had suffered polio” and “was scared of what could happen if the children are not protected.”
“Some parents take their children to larger towns like Peshawar or Bannu to receive the polio drops,” said Ayesha Hasan, a journalist.
“My son is too young to travel, so I went to Bannu and brought back some vaccines. Doctors there put it in a plastic bottle, packed ice around it and I hid it in a tin of dried milk,” Hazir Gul*, said. “I brought home enough for two neighbours with small children,” he said.
Javed Khan, who works at a clinic in Peshawar, said, “At least a dozen or so families have come to me over the past six months and taken vaccine home.”
Distrust, misinformation
An administrative official in Miranshah, said, “We know parents are bringing in vaccine. They are desperate, and we try to help discreetly.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 30th, 2013.