Graft unearthed in health sector of 2 Nangarhar districts

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): A Humanitarian Assistance Organization has unearthed corruption in health sector of two districts of eastern Nangarhar province.

The organization has formed a joint anti-corruption committee comprised of youth, civil society activists, tribal elders and influential persons in Haska Mena and Chaparhar districts.

Lack of medicines, unavailability of doctors and lack of waiting rooms and late arrival of available staff to their duties were some of the problems and corruption-oriented incidents the committee members unearthed.

Humanitarian Assistance Organisation head for Nangarhar Ziaullah Mohammad said on Thursday at a gathering marking the International Anti-Corruption Day that problems and corruption related incidents in the health sector of Haska Mena and Chaparhar districts remained the same like they had been in the previous regime.

He said in order to find and address corruption related incidents, an anti-corruption committee had been formed from tribal elders, youth, civil representatives in Chaparhar and Haska Mena districts, who played their role in preventing corruption and resolving problems of health sector.

Non-availability of medicine, lack of doctors, lack of waiting rooms for patients and non-payment of salaries were some of the problems that existed in the previous regime and were still hampering the health sector, he added.

Anti-corruption officials in these two districts said they faced several problems while fighting corruption but still they managed to address some of the issues.

WahdatullahShinwari, in charge of the anti-corruption committee in Haska Mena district, said they were still committed to fighting corruption in their district.

It is worth mentioning that Humanitarian Assistance Organisation had implemented anti-corruption projects in some other districts of Nangarhar in the past and has stopped corruption to some level.

nh/ma