“Only polio workers in Peshawar are facing this problem. Other polio workers across the province are paid,” says Peshawar paramedical association president. PHOTO: FILE
The Paramedical Association of Peshawar district on Wednesday demanded authorities to pay salaries to government employees and volunteers for performing duties during at least five polio campaigns conducted earlier.
Addressing a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club (PPC), the association’s officials, including President Mohammad Anwar Khan and General Secretary Mohammad Zakir Yousafzai said paramedics and volunteers were carrying out polio vaccination campaigns despite life-threatening conditions.
The sixth round of the campaign will be launched on April 5, but salaries for the previous ones have not yet been paid, they claimed.
“Only polio workers in Peshawar are facing this problem. Other polio workers across the province are paid,” said Anwar Khan. While government employees would work without pay, it will be impossible to recruit volunteers for the job because no one is ready to put their lives at risk for free, he added.
The officials said at least two polio workers have been killed in the district over the past few months and they still get threats to quit or face consequences. “Not paying people their salaries is completely unjust under such circumstances,” said Khan.
Senior government officials are trying to force supervisors to hire volunteers for the April 5 campaign, but they have failed to find any recruits, he added.
The Expanded Programme on Immunisation pays a daily wage of Rs250 to volunteers and Rs3,110 for four days to government employees. Polio teams in Peshawar have 300 supervisors and a staff of more than 4,500 workers. The total cost per campaign comes to about Rs7.4 million, explained the officials.
Lack of security provided to polio workers was also brought under scrutiny during the conference. The association demanded families of slain police officials and polio workers be compensated through the Shuhada (martyr) package.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 4th, 2013.
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