KHOST CITY (SW) – Residents of Khost say that due to the lack of female health workers and doctors in the special center for the treatment of orthopedic diseases and physiotherapy in this province, female patients are facing problems.
They add that they have to take their patients to Kabul or private hospitals for treatment. Residents of Khost ask the authorities to engage female doctors in this center as soon as possible.
Rahman, a resident of Khost, says: “There is also a lack of equipment here, which sometimes makes it difficult to diagnose diseases, but the most important thing is the recruitment of female doctors in this center. Our sisters who suffer from bone diseases can easily helped by female doctors.”
Meanwhile, the local authorities of Khost say that every month, on average, more than a thousand patients visit the special center for the treatment of orthopedic diseases and physiotherapy.
Musajan Bashirzoy, the director of Khost Orthopedic Center, also confirms that there are no female health workers and doctors in this center, and women suffering from bone diseases have to go to Kabul or other countries for treatment. He added that due to the population living in Khost, the number of health workers is low, and in addition, they are facing a shortage of some important medical equipment and materials.
He said: “There is a accute need for a female physiotherapist in this center. If a disabled woman comes here and we check her, there are people who don’t want a male doctor to check her, and they take the patient away, and eventually that patient dies.”
However, the officials of the Public Health Department of Khost assure that the efforts to solve the problems of the residents of this province in the health sector have started and the issues of shortage of health workers and female doctors and equipment have been discussed with the Ministry of Public Health.
“We are in contact with the ministry and they will hire approximately seven or eight female staff,” said Gul Saheb Shah, head of public health in Khost. “We have talked to them about other equipment that is lacking, and they will help, God willing.”
It should be mentioned that the special center for the treatment of orthopedic diseases and physiotherapy in Khost is the only center that provides services to patients in this province.
ENDS
