November 29, 2001	Thursday	Ramazan 13, 1422

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MALAKAND, Nov 28: People are facing a number of difficulties owing to the closure of the general ward and laboratory of civil hospital, Totakan, Malakand Agency.

The hospital was built in 1952, to cater to the health care needs of around 30,000 people of the surrounding areas.

However, it has no ambulance to transport the patients to other hospitals. The doctors also take a casual attitude towards improving the conditions.

The elected representatives of local bodies with newsmen paid a surprise visit to the hospital on Wednesday, to review the arrangements and working of the staff. The representatives were told on the occasion that the X-ray machine was operated by a low-grade servant of the hospital while the doctors often remained absent from the duty.

The local councillors told Dawn that the costly X-ray machine and other machinery had been left to rust as there were no technicians to look after the equipment. They also criticized the behaviour of doctors with the patients.

According to the record, not a single patient had been admitted to the hospital for the last two months.

TEACHERS SHORTAGE: The students of Government Degree College for Girls, Dargai, are facing a number of difficulties due to the shortage of teaching staff.

There are only three female lecturers who, too, were posted to this college only recently. Still the college lacks teachers of science subjects.

As the students career was being affected, the college principal requested her counterpart at Government Degree College for Boys to direct the lecturers to take classes at the girls college.

The residents of Dargai have demanded of the provincial government and other authorities concerned to appoint teachers.