Khost: Doctors, health workers close OHPM office in protest

KHOST CITY (Pajhwok): Doctors and paramedical staff of the provincial civil hospital and dozens of health clinics in districts on Monday closed the door of the Organization for Health Promotion and Management (OHPM) office in southeastern Khost province in protest.

The protestors said OHPM had 20 percent cut their salaries pending for the last three years.

Rahabullah Sadat, a doctor at the provincial civil hospital, who participated in the protest, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the organization had not paid them three months salary besides the 20 percent deduction.

He said they had many times demanded from the officials concerned to resolve their problem, but in vain and finally they closed the OHPM office in protest.

“The affairs of the provincial civil hospital and district clinics are ongoing normally. We have worked and now we demand our right.”

Another protesting doctor, Mohammad Naseem Faizi, said that their 20 percent salary pending from January 2018 to January 2022 had been deducted by OHPM.

He called upon the government, especially the Ministry of Public Health, to meet their demand and resolve their problem.

The protesting doctors and workers warned they would continue their protest until their demand was met.

Meanwhile, Khost public health director Dr. Fazli Karim Mandozai, told Pajhwok Afghan News the doctors and workers had closed the OHPM office door, but reopened the door with their mediation.

He said they assured the doctors that their problem would be resolved in near future.

“A few days back, we appointed an authorized delegation to investigate the matter. We will decide in this regard soon.”

A few months back, doctors and health workers of the provincial civil hospital and district clinics had gathered in front of the provincial Public Health Department, in protest.

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