DISTRICT KHYBER: Local Government representatives on Wednesday threatened that they would give boycott call from polio vaccination in district Khyber if health officials not restored the 151 polio workers within this week.
Speaking to a joint press conference held here in Landikotal press club, village council chairman Haji Khan Shinwari, village council chairman Haji Sher Khan Afridi,neighbourhood council chairman Naveed Khan and village council chairman Yaad Wazir Shinwari said that 151 polio workers were serving as polio vaccinators in Landikotal,Jamrud and Bara tehsils in district Khyber since 2016. They said despite many challenges and threats to their lives they did not compromised on their services for humanity and successfully administered polio drops to each child in the past.
Naveed Khan said health officials must consider the outstanding performance of the polio workers who reached to every household in far-flung areas of district Khyber to eliminate polio virus from Pakistan.
He said since 2018 a singal polio case was not reported in Landikotal which was the achievement of polio staff.
Haji Sher Afridi said without any prior notice all the polio communications deparment staff was terminated all at once.He said the sacked polio employees were hired on contractual basis in 2016 on various positions. He said as per the contract they had been working till December 31, 2023.
Haji Khan said polio eradication unit had advertised to fill the vacant posts but still to recruit new staff. He said morally and ethically it was the right of those who served for 11 years in militancy suffered areas of district Khyber.
The local government representatives appealed from polio emergency operation centre,Unicef,World Health Organisation,deputy commissioner Khyber, corps commander Peshawar and governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to restore the polio communication staff as it was did in district Kuream and Balochistan province.
They threatened that if the polio staff was not reinstated witjin a week they they would be compelled stop lobbing and advocating for polio in society and would give boycott call from polio vaccination in district Khyber.
This scribe contacted an ex-polio officer he said that contracts of all polio communication department employees from tehsil to provincial level had been expired on December 31, 2023. He said the posts were later advertised and open for all including those served as polio worker to appeare in test and interviews. He said those capable could qualify the test and interview and would give equal opportunity to all to participate.
