21 Jul 2015

Minister of Health, Ms Dorcas Makgato is aware of the shortage of lecturers at the Francistown Institute of Health Sciences (IHS).

Answering a question in Parliament from the MP for Francistown East, Mr Buti Billy, Ms Makgato said Francistown IHS offers diploma in General Nursing and advanced diploma in Midwifery.

According to their curricula, she said, lecture student ratio was 1:5 for optimal clinical teaching. She said the current ratios for the academic year 2014/15 were 1:8 and 1:7 for General Nursing and Midwifery respectively.

She further said she was aware of the concern that progression for both teaching and non-teaching staff at the institution was stagnant because of non-availability of positions to effect progression in a timely manner.

Ms Makgato, however, said to address the challenges her ministry was currently undergoing an organisational transformation that would amongst others take on board initiatives geared towards attracting and retaining health care workers including those in IHS.

MP Billy had asked the minister if she was aware of the shortage of lecturers at the Francistown IHS, and that there was concern that progression for both teaching and non-teaching staff at the institution was stagnant. He had also wanted to know what she would do to solve the problems. Ends