House-to-house activity hit in Muslim-dominated areas

IN A fall-out to the attack on female members of a polio team, house-to-house activity to give polio drops to children remained paralysed in Dhondipur and other sensitive areas of the city, on Friday.

IN A fall-out to the attack on female members of a polio team, house-to-house activity to give polio drops to children remained paralysed in Dhondipur and other sensitive areas of the city, on Friday.

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The team refused to cover houses in Dhondipur locality, even as the Health Department assured them to provide full security. The team members have also threatened to paralyse the House-to-House activity in the forthcoming drive, if they were not provided adequate security to move in the sensitive areas like Kareli, Khuldabad, Dhondipur and other Muslim dominated areas.

After a lot of resentment over an attack on the female members of a polio team in Dhondipur by a brother of Samajwadi Party leader, the House-to-House teams finally resumed duty in the areas under the Dufferin Women's Hospital. But the House-to-House activity remained completely paralysed in Dhondipur. The female members simply refused to visit the area, where the two women were thrashed on Thursday.

"We cannot pursue the team, which mostly includes female volunteers, to cover houses in Dhondipur locality. However, after a lot of assurances the other 49 teams became ready to conduct House-to-House activity in Kareli and other areas. The left over houses in Dhondipur locality will be covered by the Back up team," said Dr Maya Devi, incharge House-to-House teams under Dufferin Women's Hospital.

Dr Maya Devi said soon after the incident, the DM, SSP and WHO officials were informed. Due to certain myths and misinformation there were still many families in these areas, who refused to immunise their children in the last ten rounds.

"We need co-operation of people, local leaders, administration and police to make residents understand the importance of administering polio drops to children. This is also required to stop such incidents from happening in future," she said. District immunisation officer Dr Swatantra Mishra said barring few houses in the Dhondipur locality, the House-to-House activity started in other areas on Friday. "The FIR has also been lodged in Shahganj police station in the assault case," he said.