Fearing for their life: LHWs threaten to boycott polio campaign until security is ensured

Swabi’s teachers also refuse to participate in polio drive.

SWABI/ PESHAWAR: Lady Health Workers (LHWs) on Thursday condemned the murder of their colleague, Salma Farooq, and demanded government protection to workers administering anti-polio drops to children in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

Salma Farooq was kidnapped from her residence in Guluzai village early Monday morning. Her body was found on the same day within the limits of Daudzai police station.

LHWs from several districts of K-P gathered outside the city’s press club and shouted slogans against the failure of the government to provide protection to the health workers.



Leading the rally, LHW provincial president Lasha Hassan said they condemned Farooq’s murder and were boycotting the polio drive.

She said they will fulfill their duties if the government ensures their safety.

Hassan said despite security threats, lady health workers had been taking part in the polio drive but the government has done nothing for their protection.

She threatened that their protests will continue till the government assures it will protect them. She also demanded the government to include Salma Farooq’s name in the Shuhada Package and compensate her family for their loss.

Citing similar concerns, teachers in Swabi refused to participate in April’s Sehat ka Insaf campaign saying that polio immuinisation was not part of their job description.

They gathered at Government Middle School on Thursday to protest and marched through different bazaars in the area. They were led by the Swabi president of All Teachers Association, Abdul Latif.

Latif told protesters that it was not their duty to administer polio drops; they were teachers, not health department employees. He said that their main responsibility was to educate children at schools.

He added that several teachers had been targeted and killed during the polio campaign in the past.

The president of the association announced that none of the teachers would take part in the Sehat ka Insaf campaign in the district in April.

Towards the end of the protest, teachers gathered outside the deputy commissioner’s office.

The district administration met with the teachers and decided to meet in three weeks to see what could
be done.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th, 2014.