District Central officials improve working conditions for polio workers in Karachi
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
The District Central administration in Karachi, Pakistan, signed agreements to provide food and transportation for polio vaccination workers.
Taha Saleem, the Deputy Commissioner of District Central, identified that approximately 4,000 polio workers were walking between 8 to 10 kilometres daily to reach homes and administer vaccines. These workers previously worked over 14 hours a day, often starting before dawn and finishing late in the evening, while many skipped meals to save their small daily stipends.
The administration established Memorandums of Understanding with the Saylani Welfare Trust, the Bohra Community, and the Town Municipal Corporation to address these hardships. These partnerships provide workers with lunch between 1pm and 2pm and offer transportation via seven to nine seater rickshaws or qinqis. The vehicles remain parked at work sites so workers can travel to and from different areas.
Dr Aneel Kumar stated that the new transport system allows workers to return to facilitation centres to replace melting ice packs, ensuring the vaccines stay cold. Kanwal Bashir, a polio worker, noted that the support helps them eat better and maintain the vaccine temperature every three to four hours. Taha Saleem reported that these improvements have helped the district retain its staff for the current year.
