The General Directorate of Health in Taif wants the police to question a contractor who has allegedly not paid his 120 cleaning workers for the past six months, resulting in a work stoppage and consequently dangerous medical waste piling up at four Taif hospitals. The directorate has asked the Makkah Emirate's representative in the Taif Governorate to get the police to question the cleaning and maintenance contractor about the delay in salary payments. The Control and Investigation Board has also started its own investigation into the matter. It has been learnt that the preliminary investigations have allegedly proved that the contracting firm committed a series of violations, including non-provision of medical insurance to the workers. Many also allegedly did not have work permits. There was a minor breakthrough in the cleaning situation at the four hospitals when some workers went back to work, particularly in the surgical departments and emergency units. Meanwhile, the contractor and the directorate continue to blame each other for the situation. The contractor blamed the directorate for the work stoppage and claimed that the Labor Committee at the Labor Office in Taif was aware that the directorate has been delaying the payment of his dues.
