Early release of salaries to Kohistan DHQ Hospital staff assured

MANSEHRA: The Upper Kohistan district administration has assured the early release of salaries to doctors, paramedics and other staff of the District Headquarters Hospital, urging them not to go on strike as their eight months of pending pay will soon be released.

“We have taken up this issue with the provincial government for the release of salaries of employees working in the health facility being run under a public-private partnership,” Additional Deputy Commissioner Khuram Khan Jadoon told doctors and other staff on Wednesday.

The doctors, paramedics and other staff of the DHQ hospital currently operated by Nida Pakistan, a non-governmental organisation, have been without salaries for the last eight consecutive months.

A doctor said that over 130 employees, including 30 doctors, had been performing their duties for several months without pay, as the non-governmental organisation, which had committed to releasing their salaries, had yet to fulfil its commitment.

The staff had threatened to go on strike until their salaries were paid, but postponed the plan after meeting the additional deputy commissioner.Jadoon persuaded the visiting doctors and other staff to continue their responsibilities in the larger public interest, as the DHQ was the only major health facility providing medical services to patients from across the district.

He said the district administration had earlier completed an inquiry that held Nida Pakistan responsible for violating its agreement with the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.“We are optimistic that your salaries will soon be released as the district administration doesn’t want to affect healthcare services for the patients,” the official maintained.