The director of the government-owned King Abdul Aziz Hospital and Oncology Center called the police Tuesday as 163 former employees attempted to storm his office demanding an explanation for their being left jobless. The protesters, who lost their jobs when their cleaning and maintenance company's contract with the hospital expired, were denied a hearing with director Muhammad Baksh, and police said they filed reports on the incident but made no arrests. According to the former employees, they had received six months previously assurances that they would be taken on by the hospital once the contract reached its end, but when that time arrived they were told that the hospital budget could not afford to appoint them, prompting them to file a complaint with the head of Jeddah Health Affairs, Sami Badawood. Baksh had reportedly approached Health Affairs prior to that, requesting that a solution be found that avoided any loss of jobs. Health Affairs in turn addressed the Ministry of Health on the issue.
