Constantly unpaid: LHWs protest, demand salaries

PESHAWAR:

Lady health workers (LHW), lady health supervisors (LHS) and staff of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s (K-P) Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) protested on Wednesday against the non-payment of their salary for a measles campaign.

Around 900 LHWs, 42 LHS and other staff had worked for a 15-day-long measles campaign in June 2014, said LHW Peshawar supervisor Ayesha Hassan who led the protest outside the Peshawar Press Club. “So far the government has not released their payment.” Their wage comes to Rs600 per day for 15 days, added Hassan



Talking to The Express Tribune, Hassan said senior K-P EPI officials have been charged with corruption in the measles campaign but the government is punishing workers by withholding their salaries.

“LHW and LHS have still not been paid their salary of three months.” LHWs continue to boycott polio campaigns for the same reason.

She said when they visit the Peshawar account general officer, they are told their cheques have not been signed by a senior official as they are all participating in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Azadi march in Islamabad.

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