SHANGLA: Health workers are vaccinating children across Shangla district, including difficult mountainous areas, against polio despite challenges, including the biting cold.

With a cold wave sweeping through the region after the fall of snow up to three feet last week, an anti-polio campaign began in the district on Monday.

A total of 338 lady health workers and lady health supervisors, including area in-charges and other workers, are going from door to door to administer anti-polio drops to the children under the age of five.

Among them is LHW Mumlikat, who steps out for work early morning amid freezing temperatures.

“Holding a stick and tally sheets, I first collect polio vaccines from our health facility in Lilownai and then go to the designated houses,” the 40-year-old resident of Tangai area told Dawn.

She said she often slipped on the snow-covered ways but her commitment to the anti-polio cause kept her going.

Shangla’s health workers carry out polio campaign in freezing cold

Sher Mahal, an LHW from Kass area in Lilownai, which received up to two feet snow last week, told Dawn that like other health workers, she performed duty even when the temperature dropped below freezing.

She said though snow had covered all the ways leading to the area designated to her for the vaccination of children, she did her job and met targets, and was committed to achieving the rest as well.

“We leave infants at home to protect the health of others but unfortunately, authorities as well as people don’t acknowledge our sacrifices for a major cause. I haven’t heard anyone say a single word of appreciation for us,” she said.

Haram Bibi is a 35-year-old LHW from the tourist place Yakhtangay, which recorded up to three feet snowfall lately.

She complained that when vaccinators went from door to door in harsh weather, families got shocked to learn about their meagre salaries.

“People think that we must be paid around Rs0.1 million every month given the challenging job, but they’re taken aback to learn about the payment of Rs23,000 a month and just Rs5,000 for five days vaccination campaign,” she told Dawn.

The LWH said out of sympathy, many women had suggested her to quit the job.

Fazilat Khan, a lady health supervisor, told Dawn that LHWs working in snowbound areas faced multiple problems due to difficult terrains and slippery surfaces and returned from the field in the evening and failed to provide tally sheets on time but authorities didn’t comprehend the difficult circumstances in which they worked.

“Neither government appreciates the services LHWs deliver in harsh weather nor does it offer any winter allowances to them. They are paid just Rs5,300 like those doing the same job in Peshawar and other plain areas. It is their passion and dedication towards their jobs that every anti-polio drive achieves targets,” she said.

When contacted, district coordinator of the LHWs Programme Dr Abdul Samad said LHWs and LHSs in snow-bound areas were always threatened by harsh weather.

“They [vaccinators] often fall ill and face other issues, but they don’t decline the duty in freezing temperatures,” he said.

Dr Samad said he appreciated all LHWs for their great work and urged the government to encourage them as well.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2023