RAWALPINDI: As the district launched its week-long polio vaccination drive on Monday, health workers in at least three tehsils – Kahuta, Kallar Syedan, and Gujar Khan – refused to participate in the campaign to protest the decision to outsource public-sector hospitals.

According to Young Doctors Association’s office-bearer Dr Aarif Aziz, the notification for the outsourcing of the Jinnah Hospital Lahore had been issued while there was a plan to outsource different departments of Mayo Hospital Lahore.

The staff of the basic health units and tehsil headquarters hospitals in these tehsils boycotted the anti-polio drive and staged protests in their respective areas. They demanded that the government withdraw the plan to outsource hospitals and basic health units in the tehsils. They also expressed solidarity with the Young Doctors Association for their protest against the outsourcing of hospitals.

In Rawalpindi city, the sanitary patrol and school nutrition supervisors also expressed their resentment against the decision and warned they would not become part of the polio as well as dengue campaigns in protest.

Health workers in Kahuta, Gujar Khan, Kallar Syedan tehsils in Pindi district boycott drive, urge govt to withdraw plan

After the boycott, the campaign was suspended in some parts of the district, prompting the administration to approach the Punjab government for help.

District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr Asif Arbab Niazi said they had already made arrangements to run the drive in the affected tehsils. He acknowledged there was a shortage of 2,500 workers in these tehsils in light of the protest.

In order to fill this gap, the health authority has sought 1,500 officials from the education department, 1,200 from the nursing college, and 300 from the revenue department, he said, adding that a total of 3,000 people would be at the disposal of the health authority to run the campaign.

He said that the stationary teams at railway stations, the airport, and bus stations were working as per their plan, adding that there was no issue in the city areas and the district authority had sought the help of the local political leadership to supervise the campaign. He said that the district administration had asked all the departments to help the authority make the campaign successful.

APP adds: The Islamabad administration also launched its campaign aiming to vaccinate 461,125 children aged up to five years.

According to the state-run agency, the campaign will run for seven days, during which health workers will go door-to-door to administer oral polio drops to children.

Officials said that during the campaign, more than 461,000 children across Islamabad will be given the polio vaccine, with a special focus on urban slums, border areas with Rawalpindi, and locations with high population mobility.

It said polio teams from Islamabad and Rawalpindi will work jointly in the border areas to prevent any missed cases, especially in the transit and high-risk zones.

The vaccination teams will also be present at major bus terminals and other public spaces, and camps will be set up at points where families and children frequently travel, ensuring that those on the move are not left out of the drive.

On the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon directed that all vaccination teams must be provided full security. Police and other law enforcement personnel have been tasked to escort the teams and ensure their safety, especially in sensitive areas.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad administration asked community leaders and school officials to play their part in spreading awareness and encouraging participation. Authorities said that awareness efforts are key to countering misinformation and building trust in the vaccine.

In the coming days, district officials will monitor the progress of the campaign through regular field visits. Mobile teams will also be deployed to cover remote and underserved areas. These teams will move from one locality to another to make sure every child is vaccinated, regardless of where they live. According to health officials, the children who miss the vaccine this week will be identified and followed up on in the next round. A reporting and feedback system has been set up to track such cases and ensure they are not left behind.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2025