KARACHI: The ongoing boycott of duties by doctors, paramedics and lady health workers (LHWs) on a call given by the Grand Health Alliance (GHA) over discontinuation of health risk allowance by Sindh government badly affected the ongoing anti-polio drive in different areas of Sindh on Monday.

In Hyderabad, only 107 of the around 1,500 vaccination teams could be mobilised by the district health officer for the campaign. A seven-day Sindh National Immunisation Drive (SNID) was to be launched on Monday.

DHO Dr Lala Jaffar confirmed that only 107 teams could be mobilised as most LHWs did not turn up for their duties. He said that the campaign would now begin on Tuesday following reports of successful talks between the provincial government and GHA on its demands.

Local GHA leaders also made a similar claim about success of the talks in which the health secretary sought time for action on GHA’s demands by Nov 5. The demands included reversal of deductions from salaries for contribution to the flood relief fund.

Grand Health Alliance spearheads duty boycott for withdrawn risk allowance, other demands

“Vaccinators didn’t provide vaccines to those LHWs who turned up on duties,” said an official. He said that it was an attempt to sabotage the national campaign and the cause.

LHWs play a dominant role in administering polio drops to children up to the age of five. A group of LHWs and their supervisors belonging to the Bushra Arain-led All Pakistan LHWs Programme Union staged a protest sit-in outside the local press club during the day. The protesters were led by Mahwish Khan.

The protesters condemned discontinuation of the allowance and warned that if it was not restored, then they would boycott all other works as well.

Sit-ins and demonstrations were also held in several other towns of the interior of Sindh. Doctors, paramedics and LHWs stayed away from their places of duties to join the protest.

At a demonstration held in Tangwani town of Kandhkot-Kashmore district,

Sibghatullah, Mehtab Khoso and others condemned the withdrawal of the health risk allowance saying that not only workers’ health but even life remained at risk in the line of duty, yet their genuine demands were not accepted.

They urged the authorities concerned to put an end to the unrest among health professionals and workers by restoring the allowance and meeting other genuine demands put forward by the GHA.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2022