Polio vaccinators protest new wage policy

LANDIKOTAL: Scores of polio supervisors and field workers here on Wednesday staged a protest against the introduction of the new wage policy called the Direct Disbursement Mechanism (DDM).

Polio vaccinators from Jamrud and Landikotal staged the protest at Bacha Khan Chowk in Landikotal Bazaar.They voiced opposition to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s proposed wage policy and warned of boycotting the anti-polio eradication campaign until their demands are met.

Carrying banners and placards, the protesters chanted slogans in favour of their demands. They slammed the recent decision by the Polio Eradication Initiative authorities and the provincial government to shift workers from fixed monthly salaries to daily wages under the so-called (DDM) policy.

The protesters termed the move “an act of economic murder,” warning that it could lead to the unemployment of over 1,300 polio workers across Khyber district.Speaking on the occasion, protesters said that many of them had been serving in the anti-polio campaign for years under unfavourable circumstances.“Instead of recognizing our services, the authorities are now depriving us of job security. This is unjust and unacceptable,” a protesting worker said.

The demonstrators demanded that the Health Department should immediately withdraw the DDM policy and reinstate the previous system of fixed monthly salaries. They also urged the authorities to clear their pending dues of the last six months and place all polio workers on proper contract terms with job security.

“We want confirmation of our posts, and we also demand that polio workers be entitled to the Shaheed package just like other frontline government staff,” said another protester.The protesting workers announced a boycott of polio duties until their demands were fulfilled. They threatened to block the Pak-Afghan Highway as a part of their protest.“We are holding consultation with our representatives and a final plan of action will be announced soon,” a polio supervisor said.