To the rescue: Governor directs authorities to address grievances of polio workers
Appreciates efforts of vaccinators, says most displaced children being vaccinated
PESHAWAR:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Governor Sardar Mehtab Abbasi has directed authorities to resolve issues surrounding the salaries, allowances and security of polio vaccinators and lady health workers in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).
“I salute these health workers and technicians who fulfil their responsibilities in a very hostile environment,” said Mehtab during a session with the media at his official residence on Friday.
Before the Q&A, the governor chaired a function for World Polio Day. The event was organised by the FATA Secretariat Health Directorate. Besides Mehtab, FATA Health Services Director General Dr Pervez Kamal and polio victims Inayat Shah Afridi and Maryam Bibi spoke on the occasion.
Responding to a question, the governor said the refusal of parents to get their children vaccinated was leading to an increasing number of polio cases in Fata. “These parents have refused due to Taliban threats,” the governor said.
However, he claimed the situation was fast improving as “most children of displaced people are being vaccinated.” He revealed that a mechanism was being evolved to vaccinate all children entering K-P from Fata. He said the second round of vaccinations and follow-ups were in progress, adding the spread of the crippling disease would be addressed in coming months. “Creating awareness among people can play a key role.”
Mehtab stressed on the need for maximum coordination between Fata and K-P administrations.
Answering another query, the governor agreed that Pakistani nationals in other parts of the world faced tremendous difficulty. “The image of the country is being damaged in [front of] the international community,” he said. “We were badly affected by terrorism and militancy.”
Mehtab underlined that ulema, intellectuals and the media can play a key role in creating a “healthy and prosperous Pakistan”.
Addressing the ceremony for World Polio Day earlier, he said the fake vaccination drive by the US in its hunt for Osama bin Laden created stumbling blocks for polio eradication.
He said after the Dr Shakil Afridi episode, refusals of parents to allow their children to get vaccinated became common. Mehtab said the responsibility to convince parents now lies with the ulema and schoolteachers.
Highlighting the central government’s commitment to eradicate polio, Mehtab reminded the audience that soon after coming into power Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif established a special task force for this purpose.
The governor said people of this country must learn a lesson from neighbouring India, which is now a polio free country, whereas Pakistan recorded the highest number of victims in the current calendar year. He said efforts were under way to prepare an effective system to combat the growing number of polio patients. He suggested the health department discuss the spread of the virus with Afghan officials and formulate a joint strategy to eliminate it.
Polio victims Inayat Shah and Maryam Bibi, after narrating their tragic stories, urged people from all over the country in general and Fata in particular to vaccinate their children to ensure they have a brighter future.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 25th, 2014.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Governor Sardar Mehtab Abbasi has directed authorities to resolve issues surrounding the salaries, allowances and security of polio vaccinators and lady health workers in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).
“I salute these health workers and technicians who fulfil their responsibilities in a very hostile environment,” said Mehtab during a session with the media at his official residence on Friday.
Before the Q&A, the governor chaired a function for World Polio Day. The event was organised by the FATA Secretariat Health Directorate. Besides Mehtab, FATA Health Services Director General Dr Pervez Kamal and polio victims Inayat Shah Afridi and Maryam Bibi spoke on the occasion.
Responding to a question, the governor said the refusal of parents to get their children vaccinated was leading to an increasing number of polio cases in Fata. “These parents have refused due to Taliban threats,” the governor said.
However, he claimed the situation was fast improving as “most children of displaced people are being vaccinated.” He revealed that a mechanism was being evolved to vaccinate all children entering K-P from Fata. He said the second round of vaccinations and follow-ups were in progress, adding the spread of the crippling disease would be addressed in coming months. “Creating awareness among people can play a key role.”
Mehtab stressed on the need for maximum coordination between Fata and K-P administrations.
Answering another query, the governor agreed that Pakistani nationals in other parts of the world faced tremendous difficulty. “The image of the country is being damaged in [front of] the international community,” he said. “We were badly affected by terrorism and militancy.”
Mehtab underlined that ulema, intellectuals and the media can play a key role in creating a “healthy and prosperous Pakistan”.
Addressing the ceremony for World Polio Day earlier, he said the fake vaccination drive by the US in its hunt for Osama bin Laden created stumbling blocks for polio eradication.
He said after the Dr Shakil Afridi episode, refusals of parents to allow their children to get vaccinated became common. Mehtab said the responsibility to convince parents now lies with the ulema and schoolteachers.
Highlighting the central government’s commitment to eradicate polio, Mehtab reminded the audience that soon after coming into power Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif established a special task force for this purpose.
The governor said people of this country must learn a lesson from neighbouring India, which is now a polio free country, whereas Pakistan recorded the highest number of victims in the current calendar year. He said efforts were under way to prepare an effective system to combat the growing number of polio patients. He suggested the health department discuss the spread of the virus with Afghan officials and formulate a joint strategy to eliminate it.
Polio victims Inayat Shah and Maryam Bibi, after narrating their tragic stories, urged people from all over the country in general and Fata in particular to vaccinate their children to ensure they have a brighter future.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 25th, 2014.