Islamabad/New Delhi: Pakistan has cut short the anti-polio campaign over cash crunch and a slash in workers’ payments, according to a media report.
The Tribune Express reported that the duration of the anti-polio drive has been reduced to just four days from the earlier scheduled seven days.
Major cuts have also been made to the compensation of male and female polio workers, area in-charges, and union council medical officers.
While polio workers, previously paid a lump sum of 13,000 Pakistani Rupees per campaign, will now be paid 7,000 Pakistani Rupees, area in-charges, who earlier received a total of 19,000 Pakistani Rupees for the campaign period, will now be paid 9,216 Pakistani Rupees.
The Union council medical officers also face a slash in salary — from 25,000 Pakistani Rupees per campaign, they will now receive only 16,000 Pakistani Rupees, the report said.
The reduced compensation is due to a shortage of funds, with the health department facing a severe financial and economic crisis, it added.
Amid concerns over the possibility of further reductions, polio workers have also launched a protest demanding a rollback of the wage cuts and restoration of the full previous compensation. They warned of intensifying protests if the demands are not met.
Terming the move unjust, female polio workers urged the government to curb “its own extravagance instead of robbing poor daily-wage workers of their compensation”. The Pakistani government, meanwhile, has decided to continue the wage cuts in phases, the report said.
Shockingly, the report noted that claims by the district administration about eliminating polio in Rawalpindi last year are fake, with new sampling has found a large presence of the polio virus in the city’s sewage.
Official records also cite a significant increase in refusal cases in Rawalpindi, including in posh areas such as Khayaban-e-Sir Syed and Satellite Town.
To curb the spread, the health authorities have called for monthly anti-polio campaigns, and targetting families refusing polio drops.
The next anti-polio campaign in Rawalpindi district will begin on February 2 and will continue from Monday, February 2, to Thursday, February 5, the report said.
(IANS)
