‘Women workers backbone of polio programme’

LAHORE:The female workers constituted the backbone of the polio programme. The polio programme is indebted to its female polio workers who worked hard in very difficult areas with a singular goal to reach every child.

Punjab Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Coordinator and head of the polio programme in Punjab Khizer Afzaal expressed these views while paying rich tribute to polio worker Ms Shabana Badr, who died while performing duties during the ongoing polio campaign in Bahawalnagar.

The EOC coordinator acknowledged that polio worker died in the line of duty so she will be considered a martyr. He praised all polio workers going out in the line of duty saying Pakistan will be polio-free soon because of the dedication and hard work of polio workers, especially females.

The EOC coordinator pledged to provide safe and secure working environment for polio teams. “More than 80 per cent of polio teams in Punjab have at least one female team member but their strength in numbers is not the only reason why women are crucial to polio eradication efforts. They are, in fact, behavioural change agents”, the EOC coordinator acknowledged. “It is because of them that programme is able to reach and access every child inside houses. Without their participation it would not be possible to rid Pakistan of polio”, the EOC coordinator reiterated. The head of the polio programme noted that Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department under the leadership of Minister and Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, was paying special attention to the welfare of health workers.

Highlighting the importance attached by the health department to polio workers, the EOC coordinator underscored that it took utmost care of health workers injured or killed in the line of duty. He assured that a number of initiatives were under consideration which were solely dedicated to improving work environment of polio workers. Ms Shabana was a polio volunteer for the last 6 years and a mother of three. She fainted while going house to house to vaccinate the available children and passed away.