Dalil accused of graft, misuse of authority

KABUL minister of her involvement in administrative corruption, a charge the minister dismisses.

Public Health Minister Dr. Soraya Dalil was summoned by the parliamentary panel to brief its members about complaints against her.

Zabuli said they had received 150 written complaints against Dalil accusing her of administrative corruption and misuse of authority.

The lawmaker cited some of the complaints as alleging that construction work on the Jamhoriat and the Sheikh Zahid hospitals in Kabul and a 101-bed facility in eastern Nangarhar had been completed, but the public health minister was deliberately not inaugurating them.

Dalil was also charged of sacking and appointing a number of health directors in provinces over her personal choice and contacts.

She has also been accused of giving monthly stipends from government money up to $6000 to 30 people, including her husband.

Zabuli said the Global Fund had assisted the Ministry of Public Health with $7.4 million against tuberculosis, but Dalil had lost the contract letter. He did not go into details.

A vaccine manufacturing plant has been purchased with an $8 million US aid, but the health minister is yet to open it, threatening the valuable equipment, according to Zabuli, who asked Dalil to answer the allegations.

Dalil denied the claims as baseless, saying she had done nothing illegal. She also rejected that she had appointed or sacked any health director on approach.

“Serious work needs serious action,” she said, adding she had documents pertaining to hiring and firing officials. “Everybody has friends and foes. I reject these allegations,” she said.

But Zabuli, interrupting her, said her answers were not satisfactory. After consulting with other members of the commission, Zabuli handed over copies of the complaints to Dalil and asked her to return with credible answers within a week time.

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