SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: Residents blocked the main road here on Tuesday to protest the `closure` of Moula Khan Sarai (THQ) Hospital in Serveki tehsil of Upper South Waziristan district.

The protesters, including students of private schools and local elders, set old tyres on fire at the main thoroughfare of the Moula Khan Sarai Road, blocking the artery to traffic.

The protesters chanted slogans against the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and the district administration, and demanded immediate reopening of the hospital, emphasising that the health centre`s closure had caused immense hardship to patients.

The protesters vowed to continue agitating till the hospital was reopened.

Sources said the hospital was closed after the staff went on a strike about 10 days ago to protest non-payment of salaries for the last 10 months. They said the government was to pay Rs110 million in liabilities to the hospital.

Acting medical superintendent Dr Anwar Mehsud confirmed that the hospital`s services had been suspended for past 10 days due to non-payment of salaries of the staff.

He said the hospital`s administration had informed the authorities concerned about the staff strike leading to the closure of the hospital, but no response had been received as yet.

Mr Mehsud demanded of the provincial government and the health department to release the pending salaries of the staff.

It is worth mentioning here that the hospital is being run under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode to help improve patient care.

The provincial government has handed over the management of Moula Khan Sarai Hospital to Medical Emergency Resilience Foundation (MERF), a reputable organisation committed to improving access to quality healthcare. This move was expected to improve the hospital`s efficiency and quality of care, leveraging MERF`s expertise and resources.