Not in the loop: Communication gaps hamstrung polio drive

DC Quetta says workers being sacked without approval.

ISLAMABAD:

Glaring communication gaps between polio campaign donors and the government have made it harder to check the spread of the disease in both conflict zones and less volatile areas in the country.

In a letter written to the Unicef management by the deputy commissioner (DC) Quetta, it was conveyed that the Communication Network (COMNet) — a body that tries to spread awareness and counter refusals — has been hiring and sacking polio workers without the approval of the DC.

“Under the National Emergency Action Plan 2014 (NEAP) the district polio eradication cell (DPEC), the chairman will lead communications and social mobilisation activities,” the letter stated.

However, the letter from the DC’s office adds that he has “never been involved in any of the hiring and firing process of all support staff for polio”. It pointed out that though three letters had been written in this regard no reply had been received so far.

The letters, whose copies are also available with The Express Tribune, include those from the district health officer (DHO), commissioner, sub-division Quetta and the DC himself.

The correspondence concludes with a note that in future the district administration be kept in the loop so that “such issues of personal likes and dislikes do not take place”.

Another letter written from the DHO’s office, which claims that an official, Zeenat Yasmeen’s contract was not extended despite the fact that she was ‘performing her duty in an excellent way’ adding that a number of refusals were also reduced owing to her efforts.

In response to an email sent by The Express Tribune to Unicef, Chip Training and Consulting (Pvt) Ltd’s Senior Manager Sarah Farooqui said that the recruitments for COMNet were made through the company, which is legally the employer of all the staff hired under COMNet in polio high-risk districts in Pakistan.

“In view of the regular performance evaluation, in Balochistan, lately, the company opted not to extend the contracts of 11 COMNet staff members, including the Quetta DHCSO and their contracts were concluded,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2014.