KABUL (SW) – Health workers at the Covid-19 facilities in Baghlan have warned about of collapse of the entire service system here if their outstanding dues for the past six months are not paid.
Doctors and staff at Covid-19 facility in Baghlan protested in front of the hospital today. They say they have not received their salary for six months now and are living in misery.
They emphasized that the hospital is facing a shortage of medicine and equipment, and if these problems are not addressed soon, the hospital will be closed.
Fahim Moradi, head of pharmacy at the hospital, said he has not been paid for six months and is working at his own expense. He added that no institution has addressed their problems so far and that the hospital is collapsing.
Leila, one of the hospital’s nurses, said she is the only breadwinner for her family and is now unable to meet her family’s needs due to non-payment of her salary.
Staff at the hospital pointed out that they are short of oxygen, medicine, food and fuel. According to them, doctors even buy food and fuel for patients from their own budgets.
The protesters added that due to the lack of medicine, food and fuel, while with the onset of the cold season, the number of Covid-19 patients has been forced to leave.
According to them, the officials of the Islamic Emirate have said that their funds have been seized by the United States and for this reason their salaries have not been paid yet. Protesters call on the United States to release the frozen assets to solve their problems.
They also warned that if their problems are not addressed soon, they will go on strike and the hospital will be closed due to lack of medicine, food and fuel.
Meanwhile, Khalid Hujran, Baghlan’s director of public health, acknowledged the problems at the province’s Covid 19 hospital and said the problems would be resolved soon.
The director of public health in Baghlan added that he has been talking to the officials of the Ministry of Health to find out how to pay the salaries and take care of the this hospital.
ENDS
