Blame game: Khyber Agency residents reject polio vaccination in protest

LHWs K-P chairperson reinstated in the face of continued demonstrations.

JAMRUD:

Residents of Khyber Agency have refused to get their children immunised against polio in protest against the absence of staff at their local basic health unit (BHU). However, the political administration has said no such boycott took place and insisted children have been vaccinated. 

The boycott was announced by tribesmen of Ali Masjid area after consultations with tribal elders. The residents had earlier voiced their reservations with the relevant health officials complaining some staff posted at the facility is not carrying out its duty responsibly.

Rauf Khan, a resident, pointed out that a large number of patients are suffering because of the absence of facilities at the centre.

He added that whenever they take children to the BHU to be vaccinated, officials are not available and they come back disappointed, with their children unvaccinated.

“This is the only health facility in our area. We have no choice but to repeatedly visit it,” Khan said.

According to tribal elders, the health authorities are only concerned with conducting door-to-door vaccination drives. They added the residents were finding it difficult to cooperate with the government on these health initiatives.

On the other hand, political tehsildar Irshad Khan Mohmand denied the boycott was being observed. However, he added that the residents’ grievance will be addressed.

LHWs chairperson reinstated

Meanwhile, Charsadda DHO Dr Muhammad Nawaz has reinstated the dismissed provincial chairperson of the Lady Health Workers Association, Saeeda Feroz, after the association repeatedly protested her sacking.

On Friday, a large number of LHWs held a protest outside the office of the deputy commissioner, who failed to implement the Supreme Court’s earlier orders to regularise them and pay their salaries. The LHWs announced a complete boycott of polio vaccination duties till their demands were met.

Holding up banners and placards, they chanted slogans against the government. However, when authorities ignored their protest, the demonstrators got infuriated and stormed the office of the DHO.

Speaking to the media, representatives of the LHWs highlighted that the Supreme Court decision to regularise their services had not been implemented even two years after the order. LHW Association Central General Secretary Imtiaz Ali said the provincial government was resorting to threats and coercive tactics against their colleagues to bully them into continuing with the vaccination drive.

Later, a delegation of LHWs also called on DHO Nawaz who reinstated the association’s provincial chairperson Saeeda Feroz and district representative Neelofar.

Health  at stake

EPI Coordinator Charsadda Dr Farhad told The Express Tribune that a polio vaccination drive had to be cancelled three times due to such protests and around 253,000 will miss getting the vital drops. He warned that the reinstatement of the provincial chairperson was on the condition that health workers take part in the vaccination drive. with additional input from mureeb mohmand in charsadda

Published in The Express Tribune, September 13^th, 2014.