KABUL - President Ashraf Ghani, during a surprise visit to the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), on Sunday ordered the minister concerned to sack a number of officials involved in negligence and dereliction of duty.
A statement from the Presidential Palace said Ghani ordered the removal of all illegally appointed staffers of the ministry. He stressed adherence to relevant clauses of the Constitution in hiring and firing government servants.
The president sought a fundamental reform plan for the ministry to ensure all state-run hospital improve their services, setting the authorities a one-month deadline for the task.
Deputy Minister Dr. Ahmad Naeem Jan acknowledged Kabul hospitals were not capable of meeting the needs the city population and medical equipment at some facilities was too old to be used any longer.
He suggested the construction of new hospitals in the capital. “We have only one orthopedic section in the Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital. For children’s treatment, there is only one hospital -- the Indira Gandhi Hospital. These facilities are far from sufficient.”
AN advisor to the ministry, Baz Mohammad Sherzad, called for setting up a national board of reforms at MoPH. The employment and reforms processes should be overseen by the president personally, he suggested.
The president ordered the inspection of the ministry, saying acting officials should be appointed and the recruitment process monitored by the high reforms council.
He promised greater focus on the public organisations’ services. Parallel structures would be eliminated. Doctors should serve all people without discrimination. “Propose your necessary equipment for approval under a specified plan.” (Pajhwok)