Vaccinators protest non-payment of salaries

DHA CEO says funds have not been released for staff’s allowance

RAWALPINDI:

All vaccination staff have announced a complete strike from May 2 due to continuous non-payment of salaries by the Health Department.

The vaccination staff have announced a strike and it have decided to stop working in protest. The District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ijaz has admitted that none of the vaccinators are being paid.

He said that funds are not being received from the Lahore Health Department and that as soon as the funds are released, salaries will be disbursed. A letter has been sent to the Health Department for this purpose.

District President of Vaccinators Welfare Federation, Naveed Ali, announced the strike and said that vaccination staff in Rawalpindi are deprived of government allowances. Despite assurances, all arrears have not yet been paid by the government.

“The non-payment of arrears of vaccinators is incompetence on the part of the district administration,” he said.

The vaccinators have announced a full-scale protest from May 2 over non-payment of welfare payments to vaccinators which include not receiving petrol, TADA and repair bills for 18 months. The appointed vaccinators are responsible for immunising young children against 12 dangerous diseases.

One of the vaccinators stated that he was forced to work by pouring petrol from his pocket for official fieldwork. Despite requests and bringing the issue to the EP Director’s notice, it could not be resolved.

All vaccinators will submit their official motorcycles to the DHO office starting from May 2. Vaccinators will work at their centres instead of doing assigned fieldwork. The online application for Electronic Medical Record (EMR) will also remain closed. The protest will continue until the bills are cleared.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 30^th, 2024.