CHARSADDA: In a move against the lady health workers’ (LHW) boycott of polio campaigns, the government sacked the LHW Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chairperson Saeeda Feroz.
This was learnt at an emergency news conference at the Charsadda Press Club which Feroz attended, flanked by a large number of LHWs and the association’s office bearers.
The health workers complained the K-P government has adopted coercive measures instead of meeting their demands. Such measures included firing Feroz and Charsadda District Chairperson Neelofar.
The women protested the government has still not released their salaries, in spite of several requests.
Their demand to be made permanent employees has also been ignored, they said. LHW General Secretary, Khushnud said the lady health workers have been protesting since 2007 for their right to be made permanent employees but the government has left their requests unheard.
The Supreme Court’s former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary had given a verdict in July 2012 in favour of our demand to be regularised, said Khushnud. He had directed the provincial government to take practical steps for the implementation of the orders. “But even after two years no steps have been taken by the government, compelling us to file a defamation case against the K-P government.”
She said, “The government has threatened our colleagues, telling them to continue with the vaccination drive.” The role of health workers is pivotal to the polio and measles drives in the province, added Khushnud.
“We will launch a protest on September 11 against the provincial government outside the K-P Assembly and show them how sit-ins and protests are held.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 6th, 2014.
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