SHARAN (Pajhwok): The provincial council of southeastern Paktika province expressed grave concern over poor health services and complained the entire province had not even a single female health professional.
The council secretary Aziz Orguni in an exclusive interview told Pajhwok Afghan News the council members had visited many areas in the past few months.
He said their evaluation showed that there was no female doctor and only few professional male doctors were serving in the province to treat patients.
“Health services in Paktika province are facing hurdles because there is no female doctor even in the capital of the province. Only few male doctors could not serve the large population,” he said.
Orguni added only a 60-bed civil hospital was available in Sharan, the capital of the province where both civilians and military patients were treated.
The only single hospital could not treat all patients of Paktika province, he said, asking the government to pay attention to resolve the problem on emergency basis.
Momin Afghan, a resident of Sharan City, said they were facing shortage of health professionals, which was a serious problem.
“Entire Paktia has no professional doctor. If someone faces serious health problem then he or she should go to Kabul or Pakistan to treatment,” Momin said, adding that some patients succumbed to illness due to lack of medical services.
Orguni said that provincial council members had held meetings with officials of different organizations about implementing reconstruction projects in dams, bridges, embankment walls and other projects.
As a result of provincial council efforts, the education sector was facing no problems regarding materials for school students and teachers’ salaries, he said.
He said a joint commission by the provincial civil society activists and the provincial council would be established soon to share people’s problems with the government.
Orguni said the council was striving to improve security situation in the province by encouraging tribal groups and communities.
The council was satisfied with the extended cooperation of local government departments, he said, adding that security situation in Paktika has recently worsened due to lack of coordination among different institutions.
Naka, Gayan, Zirok, Khushamand, Barmal and Gomal districts had faced strong security threats, he warned.
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