Local sources say the process of testing and hiring vaccinators in Helmand province has been marred by extensive Taliban interference and corruption, with some positions reportedly given to people close to the group.
Sources told the Hasht-e Subh Daily on Tuesday, September 15, that hundreds of applicants in the provincial capital and districts of Helmand had been tested in recent days under the Taliban’s General Directorate of Expanded Programme on Immunization.
According to the sources, the tests were conducted with funding from the World Health Organization (WHO), but the selection and hiring process was influenced by local Taliban officials.
The sources say some of the tests were “staged,” and that individuals favored by the Taliban had already been selected for the positions.
The sources also allege that some applicants passed the tests in exchange for payments of 20,000 Afghanis.
This comes as concerns over corruption and the lack of transparency in recruitment processes at institutions administered by the Taliban continue, while citizens say interference in these processes deprives qualified individuals of employment opportunities.
