Parents from the most disadvantaged areas of the province to be paid under the scheme. PHOTO: INP
Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan are the only countries in the world where polio is still endemic.
In its bid to eradicate the crippling disease from the province, the K-P government has decided to offer monetary incentives to ensure parents get their children vaccinated. The parents from the most disadvantaged areas of the province will be paid under this scheme.
Deputy director of the K-P's expanded programme on immunisation Janbaz Afridi said "it has to be a good amount of money to be attractive, even in the very poorest districts of the province."
"If it is a success, we will extend it to every child in the province," he added.
Many see vaccination campaigns as a cover for espionage, while there are also long-running rumours about polio drops causing infertility.
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@MK:
The population of FATA + KPK is slightly over 25 million (according to Wikipedia). If one in every five people in this population has a newborn, that's Rs 1000 each for 5 million people, which is Rs 5 billion.
I know that this scheme is only meant for hard to access areas, but the problem is people who are already getting their children vaccinated will start refusing them unless they're paid for it, so this scheme could be counterproductive unless it is considered for either the entire population or a new solution needs to be found.
@Ch. Allah Daad: it is true. vaccines cost money and effort on somebody's part. point taken. But there are other means along side cash incentive/medicine voucher for future hospital/doctor visits. AND the threat that if a child is not certified to have been vaccinated, then that comes first and then come's the grown ups checkup and treatment, AND obviously no cash 1000 Rupees. it would require that births be registered, vaccinations be recorded and certificate given, private practitioners be brought into the loop of encouraging/enforcing vaccination, and a little pat on the back wont really hurt. again i do respect your opinion, that somebody has to pay for it so lets not settle into complacency of only wanting the reward first, i agree. and hence the other means of surrounding the minds of the population(parents,uncles, aunts, neighbors etc) you either get it from the traveling health worker, or the government hospital or the neighborhood private practitioner. one way or another every kid has to be vaccinated. salaam sir.
Looking into the traditions and culture I will say that is very smart move. By that people have some money as extra in need help to meet some new demand. And this will increase the vaccination move too.
Some guys are suggesting that they should not reward rather penalized and educated that. That solution is not work able in tribal kind of culture. People belong to tribal kind of culture cant be controlled by penalized as we will short of courts and jails it just increase more poverty as more people will spend on Advocates. In my opinion we should teach them with reward and love As Mr Imran khan are doing in KPK. Just let him install local govt system half of the problem will solved itself, I am sure when people have own density in there hands
@Ali S:
Your numbers do not add up. Program is for all new born in the province as of now. KP does not have 25 million new born babies, in last day or so since the program has been announced.
There are several vaccines that are administered in first 15 months of a child's life. Only then they would be eligible for the money. It is sad that PTI has to resort to this method, but in the long run it is not a bad policy because healthcare for effected people and other social costs of not vaccinating is much higher in the long run.
Not the same scenario, but allow me to mention a program that is currently run in British Columbia in Canada.They have set up free injection sites for drug users to inject drugs in a safe environment. Logic behind is that they are already addicted and a drug addict has to inject drug no matter what to survive, and usually they use infected needles, share needles, get over dosed and get other diseases too. This brings them in a network where they are less prone to catching other diseases and social workers can convince them to join treatment and rehabilitation program.
If current system and methods are not working then it is best to adapt and sometimes unusual methods are required to address the problem.
PTI is right on the track of proving its stupidity by kneeling down against anti state elements instead of trying to establish state writ. Any measure that they adapt reflect weakness. Certainly no hope. Only after days, this incentive is going to be lost. Nobody would be hearing about it.
@Sheikh Khalid: I am in favour to help those parents who don't have resources to reach vaccination centres but giving incentives to perform most important duty is not which I would favour. It does not take long when an incentive becomes a right and all parents would stop vaccinating their children. Polio drops are already free for people but somebody is paying for it.
@Caresless Whispers: A) what subject would you be educating them about? B) How do you educate someone about the obvious and known all around?
@Ch. Allah Daad: Carrot and stick both should be applied, but delicately.
Ch Allah Dad: I am not surprised, you are a N leaguer.
instead of distributing cheques, they should be educating them...
I hope it addresses the need for polio vaccines in no-go zones, but it isn't sustainable if people only get their children vaccinated for the money - they might eventually start refusing vaccines unless they're paid for it, which would actually be counterproductive. If this scheme was to be extended all over FATA and KP's population, that's over 25 million people, so Rs 1000 per family of five (a low estimate) would cost us Rs 5 billion. It would be far better to give incentives such as clothing or non-perishable food items instead of money.
The fact that it has resorted to such desperate measures means that PTI is taking this issue seriously, which is good news and I hope this menace of polio is wiped out before Pakistanis are put on visa bans from international travel.
Stupid move. Government should fine those who do not immunize their children. It does not take long when incentives become rights.
Thats a good step.
Step in the right direction. Good Job.
I guess if pakistanis all over the world trust the Tehrik e Insaf govt in KPK and this incentive becomes too costly for them - then these pakistanis can start funding for this specific initiative - but - only as long as people think the govt. is trustworthy. In my opinion it is doing much better then the previous govts.
Hahahahahaha..... Who will control population then.....