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Female teachers refuse to take part in vaccination campaign

Bureau Report 2014-02-14
PESHAWAR: Female teachers of government schools in Peshawar have refused to take part in the ongoing anti-polio vaccination campaign, saying they have received threatening letters from unknown people and they could not risk their lives.

Dozens of teachers on Thursday blocked the Sher Shah Suri Road and warned that they would lock up their schools if the government assigned them duty in the vaccination campaign again. The teachers were holding banners and placards inscribed with their demand for exemption from vaccination duty.

`In case the government compel-led us to do the vaccination duty, all the female teachers will lock the doors of their schools,` they said.

The protest was headed by All Female Government Girls Primary Schools Teachers` Association president Nizakat Kalsoom and attended by dozens of female teachers from various union councils of Peshawar.

The protesting teachers threatened to lock the doors of their schools if the officials concerned tried to compel them to take part in the anti-polio campaign.

Talking to mediapersons on this occasion, Ms Kalsoom claimed that they had received threatening letters from unknown people, in which dire consequences were mentioned `if a female teacher took part in the ongoing anti-polio campaign`. She said that the letter further warned that their schools would also be blown up if they participated in the campaign.

The threatening letters, she said, had spread a wave of unrest and the teachers were not ready to dothe duty. She said that their families were also not allowing them to go to the field for the polio vaccination.

Ms Kalsoom said that it was not the duty of teachers to carry out vaccination campaign in streets, as they were only responsible for teaching children. She said that the health department should use its hundreds of lady health workers and lady health visitors for the polio eradication drive.

She also claimed that all the female teachers in Peshawar district had decided not to participate in the anti-polio campaign owing to security concerns.

She alleged that female teachers were being harassed by officials of the education department to take part in the anti-pollo campaign or face suspension. She demanded of the government to exempt female teachers from vaccination duty.

FOOLPROOF SECURITY: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Thursday directed for foolproof se-curity in vulnerable areas in order to make `Sehat Ka Insaf` programme a success.

He was addressing a high-level meeting to review the security plan for the third phase of `Sehat Ka Insaf` programme in Peshawar on coming Sunday (Feb 16).

He also directed for enhanced intelligence gathering mechanism in the third phase. He asked for formation of counterterrorism strategy in order to improve law and order situation in the province, according to a handout.

Health minister Shaukat Yousafzai briefed the participants about the level of preparedness of health department for the whole programme.

Inspector General of Police Nasir Durrani told the meeting that besides support of the Pakistan Army and FC jawans, separate control rooms of health and education departments would keep a close liaison with central control room of police during this crucial phase.