By AMAN ALI SHINWARI
KHYBER, Feb 16: Political and social circles in District Khyber have expressed serious concerns over the proposed reduction of COMNet staff working under the polio eradication and routine immunization program, demanding an immediate review of the decision.
Addressing the press conference at the District Press Club Khyber ,Landi Kotal on Monday, President of the Khyber Political Alliance Murad Hussain Afridi, Abdul Raziq Shinwari, Haji Zarb ullah , Chairman Haji Sher Afridi, Nazak Shah, Abdul Wahab, and Zar Shah, along with other local government representatives and political and social activists, stated that keeping in view geographical and security situation of the area, any reduction in COMNet staff is unacceptable.
They emphasized that under the current circumstances, the staff strength should be placed doubled.
District Khyber was connected to Afghanistan via Torkham and is considered a high-risk area, where thousands of people cross the border daily they added and said displacement from Tirah, cross-border movement, and the challenge of covering a population of over 1.1 million already has made operations difficult.
In such conditions, reducing field and communication staff could not only increase existing challenges but also negatively impact public health campaigns, they opined.
They further stated that the anti-polio campaign has entered a critical phase, and COMNet staff play a key role in community engagement, reducing vaccine refusal rates, and strengthening routine immunization.
The speakers also said that in recent days, following the leak of files related to Jeffrey Epstein at the international level,
In recent negative propaganda against the polio vaccine,being viral on social media, the role of COMNet staff has become even more crucial, as they conduct door-to-door awareness campaigns, address public concerns, and counter misinformation about vaccination.
The participants urged the Deputy Commissioner Khyber, the Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Director General Health, the Health Secretary, and the Federal Health Minister to immediately withdraw the decision to reduce COMNet staff, retain the existing workforce, and increase staff at the union council level considering the district’s sensitivity.
