By Fazal Khaliq
MINGORA: The boycott by lady health workers forced the district administration and health authorities to delay the anti-polio drive in Swat.
The four-day anti-polio drive, which was scheduled to be launched on Monday, was delayed by the authorities. The anti-polio campaign was temporarily put off owing to some reasons including the boycott of lady health workers, said Dr Anwar Jamal, the representative of EPI in the district.
“The anti-polio drive will start from September 17 in which LHWs will also take part as they have decided to end their strike in a meeting with health officials,” he added. He said that there was no hurdle and challenge in Swat to conduct anti-polio drive. Luckily, no polio case was reported in the district during the last three years, he said.
“We have been providing security to the vaccinators and they have not yet faced any obstacle in the campaign,” said Dr Jamal.
During the last 10 days, the lady health workers in Swat staged protests twice against the federal and provincial governments for their failure to pay them salaries.
According to officials, a meeting of the polio eradication committee was scheduled on September 14 at the office of deputy commissioner to chalk out a plan for the anti-polio campaign.
Swat LHWs Association president Nahid Bibi said that after assurance of the provincial health secretary in a meeting with them, they decided to take part in the anti-polio drive starting from September 17.
“We have temporarily suspended our protest, giving one month time to the authorities to resolve the issue of our salaries,” she said.
