Lüderitz resident raises over medicine shortage

A Lüderitz resident, Chantal Murtz, has vowed to stand her ground regarding the statements she made about shortage of medicine at the harbour town's hospital. Murtz raised the concerns of the shortages in the Lüdertizbucht Community WhatsApp group on Monday this week after she had visited the hospital and claimed to have found patients without Panado and Scopex syrup.The Lüderitz Hospital Advisory Committee chairperson, Susan Ndjaleka, who is also the the Nami#Nus constituency councillor and chairperson confronted Murtz over the post.Although Murtz apologise for the post on Tuesday, she has vowed not to be silenced.I did not lie“I want to make it clear to the community that I did not lie when I said there is a shortage of medicine at the hospital and stand by this. It is a national issue and Ndjaleka knows this. I visited the hospital recently and experienced it first hand,” Murtz said in a voice note in response to statements made by Ndjaleka in her capacity as chairperson of the Lüderitz Hospital Advisory Committee. Murtz tendered a written apology to the hospital management on 10 June after she was contacted and requested to rectify claims she made on 9 June via the Lüdertizbucht Community WhatsApp group. SOS “I sent out a message to my fellow residents asking them to please help with some Panado and Scopex syrup for the children's ward at the hospital since all Fabupharm products in liquid form had been recalled. I was just looking out for the children and my fellow residents,” she said in the apology seen by this publication. She explained that the appeal for assistance she had sent out was somehow misunderstood. “Some people thought I was looking for monetary contributions which was not the case. I am apologising if my approach has caused any problems. I did not know that there were certain channels to follow. My intentions were good and I had no ulterior motives,” she said. According to Murtz, she had to buy medication from the pharmacy and take it to the hospital. Who's fooling who?“When the patient was admitted and had to be put on a drip there were no cannulas for the patient. We called our doctor and had to go and collect it so that the patient could be put on fluids. "Ndjaleka was saying that it was probably in the pharmacy and that it might have been closed at that specific time, to which the acting matron confirmed that it was out of stock. Now, tell me who is fooling who here?” Murtz said.Murtz also said she observed a high volume of people with gastroenteritis in the community and questioned for how long the theatre equipment and linen would be transported to Keetmanshoop to be sterilised, washed and dried. “The equipment to do this in Lüderitz has been out of order for a prolonged period. How much does this cost the government on fuel? We are expected to keep silent? My voice will be heard,” she said.Another side of the coin Ndjaleka said that the claims made by Murtz were not accurate and were made without communicating with the hospital management. “When Murtz visited the paediatric ward on 8 June 2025, she allegedly noted that the ward was experiencing high volumes of young children and babies admitted with vomiting. "She also implied that the nurses and doctors had absolutely no resources to help the patients since the Fabupharm supplies had been removed from the shelves.” Ndjakela pointed out that “during the time of Murtz's visit, only two state patients had diarrhoea, which was resolved and the rest had other medical conditions unrelated to diarrhoea. "The management of diarrhoea is not affected by Fabupharm, as the claims stated,” Ndjakela said.She added, “All measures are in place to combat diarrhoea, if needed, at the Lüderitz State Hospital.” Ndjaleka highlighted that Murtz made a public appeal for assistance. “This caused distress and worry amongst the community. Some persons purchased medication and offered assistance without following proper channels," Ndjaleka said, adding that no medication will be accepted as a donation from a community member. "The Lüderitz State Hospital Advisory Committee is in place whenever the community has a concern and there is a customer care officer who can be approached with pressing issues,” she said.

Lüderitz resident raises over medicine shortage

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-16

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Lüderitz resident raises over medicine shortage

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-16

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