By Sudhir Ahmad Afridi
KHYBER: Political and social figures in Khyber district have called for an immediate reversal of a proposed reduction in COMNet staff, warning that the move could undermine polio eradication and routine immunization efforts in the high-risk border region.
The demand was made at a press conference held at the District Press Club Khyber in Landi Kotal. Local representatives said the communication workforce was essential for persuading communities, countering vaccine refusals, and supporting field teams.
Speakers, including Murad Hussain Afridi, president of the Khyber Political Alliance, highlighted the district’s proximity to the Torkham border crossing and its large, mobile population. Daily cross-border movement from Afghanistan, internal displacement from Tirah, and the need to cover more than one million residents already posed significant challenges, they said.
Officials warned that a reported 40% cut in field and communication staff could increase vaccine refusals and risk the resurgence of poliovirus. Khyber has remained polio-free since 2018, an achievement they attributed to sustained work by outreach and communication teams.
Participants also noted that misinformation about vaccines on social media had intensified in recent weeks. They argued that reducing community-level staff at this stage would damage public health campaigns.
The speakers urged provincial and federal health authorities, the Emergency Operations Centre, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to withdraw the decision, retain existing workers, and expand staffing at the union council level in light of the district’s sensitivity. By the end of the press conference, no official response had been issued by the district communication office.
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