Lady health workers’ boycott affects polio campaign

The one-day drive in Charsadda was instead staffed by 400 teachers.

CHARSADDA: The day-long polio campaign in Charsadda was affected by the absence of lady health workers (LHW) who have been boycotting vaccination drives. Their boycott has resulted in a decision to issue show-cause notices to LHWs for their absence.

LHWs vowed not to return to work until their jobs were regularised and their leaders, Saeeda Feroz and Neelofar Begum, reinstated. Feroz and Neelofar were fired on September 5 and reinstated on Friday last week. However, the district administration sacked them again on Saturday night over the issue of boycotting drives.



Sunday’s polio drive targeted around 273,000 children in three tehsils of the district. Around 1,250 teams were assigned the task of vaccinating the children, said a health department official in Charsadda.

Dr Farhad of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation told The Express Tribune vaccination campaigns had been cancelled twice in July and August and could not afford to be delayed any further. To make up for the missing LHWs, 400 teachers—both men and women—were working alongside with the health department.

“We have called for an explanation from 36 health workers and will issue show-cause notices to 962 LHWs; they may affect the campaign but we hope this will not delay it.”

Meanwhile, Section 144 was imposed in the district and around 3,000 policemen were deployed in various areas, while motorcycle riding was also banned.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2014.