Polio drive in Balochistan's eleven districts enters second day
The teams still have not received salaries for the September drive.
QUETTA (Dunya News) – Anti-polio drive continues on second day in Balochistan’s 11 districts while police, levies and Frontier Corps (FC) contingents have been appointed for teams’ security.
Health department has said that more than 13,6200 children will be vaccinated in the campaign. The teams will also provide vaccines to more than 27,000 children of Afghanistan refugees.
Health Secretary Noorul Haq Baloch said that all available resources would be utilized to make the campaign a success. He said that no work-shirker would be spared.
Separately, another police drive that was ongoing in provincial capital, Quetta has ended today due to Muharram. The campaign continued for two days.
The 11 districts include Qilla Abdullah, Pishin, Qilla Saifullah, Khuzdar, Loralai, Jaffarabad, Naseerabad, Dera Bugti, Lesbela, Sherani and Soub. Amidst different polio campaigns, the teams still have not received salaries for the September drive.
Chief Secretary Siafullah Chattah had issued directives to authorities concerned to take care of the issue however, the workers are still waiting for due payments.
A lady health worker from Quetta said that the workers were supposed to be paid right after a drive ends. Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) declined to comment however, the workers’ stance was validated.
Balochistan Chief Minister (CM) Dr Abdul Malik Baloch presided a meeting on September 29 which was attended by Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Polio’s chairman Jean Marc Oliver, UNICEF’s deputy chief Jalpa Ratna, World Health Organisation’s (WHO) team lead Dr Ibrahim Yallow among several others.
The CM had assured the organizations concerned that the government is making all-out efforts to eradicate the crippling virus from the province. The notable delegation of prominent personalities appreciated the provincial government for putting out resources required for the cause. The members also praised security institutions for fool-proof security as they said they felt safe.
