An association of grassroots health workers, the Bangladesh Shasthya Bibhagiyo Maat Kormi association yesterday announced they would boycott the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) if their five-point demands remain unrealised by October 5.
To raise awareness about their demands a human chain was formed during a rally held in Barisal, which was addressed by Firoz Alam and Hanif Mia, the association’s central president and joint secretary general respectively.
Earlier this month, community field workers did not join EPI programmes and the association’s convener in Barisal Mahbub Hossain said unless their demands were met they would not return to work for an indefinite period.
The association’s demands include introduction of a salary scale to prevent discrimination, implementation of the amended Employment Rule 1985 to promote second class health inspectors to health supervisors and increasing their tour-allowances.
Community health workers are validated by the World Health Organization (WHO), and serves rural communities by providing vital health and medical related assistance.
They play an important role in the implementation of WHO’s immunisation programme, which provides vaccines and immunises children against six childhood diseases, namely Diphtheria, Whooping cough, Tetanus, Polio, Measles and Tuberculosis.
Through the EPI programme by 1993 approximately 74% of Bangladeshi children were immunised and coverage reached nearly 85% by 1998.
