LAKKI MARWAT: The shortage of staff in schools and hospitals hinders delivery of better services to people in Lakki Marwat district, according to officials.

At a briefing, attended by Commissioner Parveiz Sabatkhel and Deputy Commissioner Abul Hadi, the officials said that human resource deficiency was major issue that badly impacted the performance of education and health departments.

They said that health department had 219 sanctioned posts of doctors in 68 facilities of which 219 positions were vacant. Of 81 posts of charge nurse, only 18 are filled and 63 are vacant. The department is, however, not facing any deficiency of paramedics as all 324 posts are filled.

They stressed the need for extending lady health workers (LHW) programme to the uncovered union councils and setting up primary healthcare management committees in three basic health units in Betanni tribal subdivision.

Officials said that schools were also understaffed as a total 403 of 4,432 sanctioned posts of teachers and 120 posts of non-teaching employees out of 1,363 were vacant.

They said that primary schools were faced with shortage of classrooms and funds for petty work and purchasing different items. They proposed construction of cluster hostels both for male and female teachers in rural areas.

The commissioner said that government would be requested to increase allocations for hiring more teachers against existing vacancies. He directed improvement of attendance of teachers, doctors and paramedics in schools and hospitals. Correspondent