By: Salman Yousafzai
PESHAWAR: The management of the Orakzai District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Mishti Mela in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been compelled to close its outpatient department (OPD) due to a severe financial crisis.
The management and other staff of the DHQ Orakzai on Thursday staged a protest rally in the hospital by closing its outpatient department to force the government to release funds to their hospital.
Protesters including doctors, nurses, administrative staff, and class four employees of the hospital took part in the protest and shouted slogans against the government and support of their demands.
The protesting doctors said that they have not been paid their salaries for the last five months. The protesters reported that the hospital had completely run out of medicines due to a lack of funding, creating significant difficulties for patients, particularly in the emergency ward.
The patients at the hospital who came from the Orakzai and Khyber areas also complained about the prevailing issues in the hospital due to which they were being suffered and forcing them to seek treatment in Kohat and Peshawar.
Last week, a delegation of local youth and elders met with the District Health Officer to discuss these pressing issues, but no concrete actions have been taken so far.
The Young Doctors Association of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, along with residents, is urging the government to promptly reopen the hospital and is calling on the elected representatives of the area, including MNAs and MPAs, to address this critical situation.
