Health workers sit on snow during a polio vaccination campaign in Neelum Valley, Azad Jammu Kashmir, February 4, 2025. PHOTO: AFP
RAWALPINDI:
Due to a severe economic and financial crisis, the Ministry of Health has reduced the duration of the next anti-polio campaign from seven days to four days and has also made significant reductions in the remuneration of men and women working in the field of polio, zone managers and doctors of union councils.
Significant cuts were also imposed on workers’ facilities, raising fears that the anti-polio campaign could be seriously affected. Polio workers, angered by the reduction in payments, protested and threatened demonstrations.
The district administration’s claims of polio elimination in Rawalpindi were also found to be false. The next anti-polio campaign in Rawalpindi district will begin on February 2 and continue from Monday, February 2 to Thursday, February 5.
Earlier, polio workers were paid a lump sum of Rs 13,000 per campaign, which has now been reduced to Rs 7,000. Zonal in-charges, who were earlier getting a total of Rs 19,000 for the campaign period, will now get Rs 9,216. Similarly, union council doctors who were earlier getting Rs 25,000 per campaign will now get only Rs 16,000.
Concerns have also been raised about the possibility of further cuts in the future.
The Ministry of Health is facing a serious financial and economic crisis and compensation has been reduced due to a lack of funds.
It was decided to continue these reductions in stages. Polio workers strongly opposed the reduction and demanded that the decision be withdrawn and full previous compensation restored, warning of strong protests if their demands are not met.
Polio workers called the move unfair and said the government should rein in its own extravagances instead of “depriving” poor workers of their pay.
Last year, the district administration had declared Rawalpindi polio-free, but fresh samples revealed a significant presence of the polio virus in the city’s sewage. As a result, it was decided to continue polio campaigns throughout 2026, with campaigns conducted every two months. It was also decided to target families refusing polio injections. According to records, there has been a record increase in refusal cases in Rawalpindi, including in posh areas such as Khayaban-e-Sir Syed and Satellite Town.
