Volunteers, who are paid a nominal honorarium for participating in the polio vaccination campaigns, find themselves in a vulnerable position in case of violence against them.
The health department officials told Dawn that a woman volunteer developed cardiac problems and remained in hospital for a month after a policeman escorting her during a vaccination campaign in Mardan was targeted by gunmen.
They said the woman hadn’t received any assistance from the government and was left at the mercy of Allah.
The officials said the government received huge financial assistance for polio eradication but the honorarium paid to workers was very little, especially in view of the threats to their life.
They said vaccinators, who formed backbone of the campaign, worked in the field and were the only source of the children’s vaccination against polio.
“Without giving proper incentives to vaccinators, it would be in vain to think about making the province polio-free,” an official said.
The full article continues at http://x.dawn.com/2013/06/24/health-workers-risk-life-for-vaccinating-children/ on Dawn’s website.