PESHAWAR: The World Health Organisation is likely to increase payments to polio workers across the country to increase their commitment to better quality of vaccination and early eradication of the crippling disease.

The National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) for polio has requested the WHO to increase the wages of vaccinators and others involved in the campaign in line with the recommendation of the provincial governments and partner agencies.

Referring to a meeting of the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme on Nov 27 with special assistant to the prime minister on national health services Dr Zafar Mirza, NEOC coordinator Dr Rana proposed in a letter sent to WHO Pakistan chief Dr Palitha Mahipala that the Rs500 daily wage of the countrywide polio workers be increased to Rs750 each with the five-day payment totalling Rs3,750.

He sought Rs50 increase in the Rs700 daily payment to front-line workers and relevant area heads.

The NEOC coordinator said the provincial governments would later be requested to pay Rs250 per day to polio workers from own resources.

Govt seeks payment hike approval before start of next drive on Dec 16

He said the WHO had been asked to approve the request and begin paying increment to workers before the start of the next countrywide campaign slated to begin Dec 16.

Sources said around 200,000 workers were deployed across the country for every polio campaign and 25,000 community-based vaccinators received Rs17,000 a month and the rest Rs500 daily.

Dr Rana Safdar said the front-line workers were the backbone of the anti-polio programme and their commitment against all odds was unprecedented.

“The honorarium we pay them is by no means the reward of efforts they make and instead, it is a token of our love and respect for them. As we aim at transformation, our intention is to honour our workers, restore their confidence and support them to the maximum in the field,” he said.

The NEOC coordinator said it was just a humble beginning and that the centre would urge the district and provincial governments and partners to facilitate those national heroes in the best possible way.

“We are working on their (workers’) capacity building through high-quality training engaging senior programme staff at all levels,” he said.

Dr Rana Safdar said key message to polio workers was that the nation valued their contributions for the healthy future of Pakistan and that they should focus all efforts on vaccinating children everywhere and each time.

“The government stands with them (polio workers) as they go from door to door during vaccination campaigns. We have been successful in procuring the highest quality vaccine from top global manufacturers to stop the circulation of polio virus,” he said.

Dr Safdar said it was time for parents to take their children from backrooms to doorsteps during the campaign to protect them from disability.

“We thank parents for consistent support and urge them to ensure vaccination of not only own children but also those living around,” he said.

The other relevant officials said the government wanted to ensure quality polio campaigns, so the WHO had been asked for better payment to workers.

They said more than 70 people had been killed during vaccination campaigns in the last few years but the health workers remained undeterred by threats and continued administering anti-polio drops to the targeted children.

The officials said the government wanted to increase payments to those workers to acknowledge their services.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2019

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