HYDERABAD: Two polio workers were manhandled in Khuda Ki Basti area in Kotri on Wednesday over administration of polio drops to a child.

The family members snatched their boxes and misbehaved with lady health workers (LHWs) Sultana and Fatima. LHWs visited the house of one Majeed Bozdar in Khuda Ki Basti, but his family did not let them administer polio drops to the child on the ground that he was suffering from fever.

LHWs’ insistence on inoculating the child against polio led to an unpleasant situation and women members of the family snatched their boxes. Health officials were called by LHWs and later Kotri police were informed about it.

Police have picked up Majeed Bozdar.

Kotri ASP Suhaee Talpur said health officials avoided registration of FIR and said the family should apologise to them. She said the Bozdar family claimed that their child was already having a polio-like illness that was why they refused.

All Sindh LHW Employees Union condemned the incident, saying that if LHWs were provided security, the incident would not have occurred.

They were being forced to boycott the anti-polio campaign, but they would continue it. If a similar incident was repeated, they would resort to protest, they said.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2018