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Pakistan Cuts Polio Drive Amid Cash Crunch, Workers Protest Wage Slash

Pakistan has drastically shortened its national anti-polio vaccination campaign from seven to just four days due to a severe funding shortage. Compounding the crisis, payments for frontline polio workers, area in-charges, and medical officers have been slashed by nearly half, sparking immediate protests. The financial cuts come amid revelations that official claims of eliminating polio in Rawalpindi last year were false, with new sewage sampling detecting a large presence of the virus. Health authorities are now planning monthly campaigns and targeting vaccine-refusing families as the next drive is set to begin in early February.

Key Points: Pakistan Polio Campaign Shortened, Worker Pay Slashed

  • Polio drive cut from 7 to 4 days
  • Worker wages slashed by nearly half
  • Protests over compensation cuts
  • Fake polio elimination claims exposed
  • New virus found in Rawalpindi sewage
2 min read

Cash crunch to cut short Pakistan's polio vaccination campaign

Pakistan reduces polio drive from 7 to 4 days and slashes health worker wages due to funding crisis, sparking protests.

"curb its own extravagance instead of robbing poor daily-wage workers - Female polio workers"

Islamabad/New Delhi, Jan 30 Pakistan has cut short the anti-polio campaign over cash crunch and a slash in workers' payments, according to a media report.

The Tribune Express reported that the duration of the anti-polio drive has been reduced to just four days from the earlier scheduled seven days.

Major cuts have also been made to the compensation of male and female polio workers, area in-charges, and union council medical officers.

While polio workers, previously paid a lump sum of 13,000 Pakistani Rupees per campaign, will now be paid 7,000 Pakistani Rupees, area in-charges, who earlier received a total of 19,000 Pakistani Rupees for the campaign period, will now be paid 9,216 Pakistani Rupees.

The Union council medical officers also face a slash in salary -- from 25,000 Pakistani Rupees per campaign, they will now receive only 16,000 Pakistani Rupees, the report said.

The reduced compensation is due to a shortage of funds, with the health department facing a severe financial and economic crisis, it added.

Amid concerns over the possibility of further reductions, polio workers have also launched a protest demanding a rollback of the wage cuts and restoration of the full previous compensation. They warned of intensifying protests if the demands are not met.

Terming the move unjust, female polio workers urged the government to curb "its own extravagance instead of robbing poor daily-wage workers of their compensation". The Pakistani government, meanwhile, has decided to continue the wage cuts in phases, the report said.

Shockingly, the report noted that claims by the district administration about eliminating polio in Rawalpindi last year are fake, with new sampling has found a large presence of the polio virus in the city's sewage.

Official records also cite a significant increase in refusal cases in Rawalpindi, including in posh areas such as Khayaban-e-Sir Syed and Satellite Town.

To curb the spread, the health authorities have called for monthly anti-polio campaigns, and targetting families refusing polio drops.

The next anti-polio campaign in Rawalpindi district will begin on February 2 and will continue from Monday, February 2, to Thursday, February 5, the report said.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Very sad situation. We in India know the value of the polio campaign—it was a massive, sustained effort that paid off. You cannot cut corners on public health, especially for something as dangerous and contagious as polio. The workers' protest is completely justified.
D
David E
The fake claims about eliminating polio are the most alarming part. It shows a systemic failure in reporting. Public health requires transparency. If the virus is in the sewage, it's a clear and present danger. The focus should be on science and containment, not optics.
A
Aman W
The female workers made a sharp point about government extravagance. It's a universal issue. When funds are short, why do cuts always start from the bottom? The health of a nation's children should be the absolute last priority to face budget cuts. Shameful.
S
Sarah B
This is a global health security issue. Polio was nearly eradicated worldwide. Setbacks like this, driven by financial mismanagement, put decades of progress at risk. The international community should step in with targeted aid for the vaccination drive, bypassing politics.
K
Karthik V
Refusal cases in posh areas is a familiar story. Education and awareness are key. You can have all the drops, but if people refuse, the campaign fails. They need to engage community leaders and religious figures to build trust, just like we had to do here.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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