QUETTA: Quetta Grand Health Alliance, who had boycotted the anti-polio campaign in Balochistan province issued a statement today.
The meeting of the Grand Health Alliance Balochistan Core Committee was held under the chairmanship of the alliance chairman Dr Bihar Shah. In a statement released after the meeting, the alliance alleged government indifference towards their demands and criticized the present measures of vaccination campaign.
‘Countrywide’ anti-polio campaign fails to reach Kurram district, halted in Balochistan
The members decided to continue the boycott of the anti-polio campaign due to the government’s refusal to accept their demands. “The provincial government will run the polio campaign with untrained people,” the statement said, adding, “The polio campaign [run this way] will do more harm than good at the hands of untrained people.”
Despite spending a large amount of funds on anti-polio efforts, the polio virus is not being controlled, the alliance said. The statement also warned of stricter decisions in the protest movement if the government continues to ignore their demands.
The health alliance is protesting against the government’s decision to privatise government hospitals in the province. The alliance wants the government to rescind the announcement in this regard.
The anti-polio campaign was supposed to kick off in Balochistan on December 16, along with rest of the country. The grand alliance announced a boycott on Sunday.
PM Shehbaz vows to drive poliovirus out of Pakistan’s borders
On Monday, the vaccination campaign was delayed by one day. Reportedly, the provincial home department had written a letter to the Balochistan Health Department to delay the campaign by one-day, citing security issues. Yesterday (Tuesday), the campaign was delayed once again, by one more day. The Emergency Operation Center (EOC) announced the delay yesterday, but did not cite a reason for it this time.
HUM News has reached out to the provincial authorities for an update on whether the campaign will begin today or not. A response is awaited.