Katutura prepares to eradicate cockroaches
The Katutura Intermediate Hospital has announced plans to eradicate its resident pests, including the infamous cockroaches, from the hospital.
Delivering a ministerial statement in parliament last week, health minister Kalumbi Shangula said they have instituted measures for introspection to identify wastages and leakages within the system.
“Last week I witnessed the commitment of the managers in the form of their individual written pledges on things they have undertaken to improve within a specific period of time. The medical superintendent of Katutura hospital, for example, pledged to eradicate pests, including the infamous cockroaches, from the hospital,” said the minister.
This follows a few days after the ministry's decision to cancel coffee and tea due to financial challenges, claiming doing away with these snacks will save the ministry up t N$60million.
At the same time the acting executive director Bertha Katjivena said these drinks and snacks are often not taken by patients, but are kept in lockers where they attract all sorts of pests.
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) parliament member Elma Dienda said it is unfair to punish patients because of the inability of the ministry to control its stock.
“The real question must be where do these cockroaches come from? In my opinion they must stop putting this service out on tender and let every ward make and serve its own coffee and tea. Then it will be better managed and maintained,” said Dienda. She added that with the services being cancelled patients will have their relatives bring snacks and this will create another problem. “There are people who need their coffee or tea and they cannot wait for dinner or breakfast, if dinner is served at 17:00. So if they stay in the hospital for two weeks and keep the coffee and tea in their bedside lockets then the cockroaches will go there as well,” she insisted.
Shangula said they are not reconsidering the provision of coffee and tea. He added that tea and coffee are provided as part of the meal package that is out on a tender already.
“The cancellation of tea and coffee will not affect the tender now. You must understand that this is only takes effect on 1 April so it will not affect the tender,” he said.
JEMIMA BEUKES
Delivering a ministerial statement in parliament last week, health minister Kalumbi Shangula said they have instituted measures for introspection to identify wastages and leakages within the system.
“Last week I witnessed the commitment of the managers in the form of their individual written pledges on things they have undertaken to improve within a specific period of time. The medical superintendent of Katutura hospital, for example, pledged to eradicate pests, including the infamous cockroaches, from the hospital,” said the minister.
This follows a few days after the ministry's decision to cancel coffee and tea due to financial challenges, claiming doing away with these snacks will save the ministry up t N$60million.
At the same time the acting executive director Bertha Katjivena said these drinks and snacks are often not taken by patients, but are kept in lockers where they attract all sorts of pests.
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) parliament member Elma Dienda said it is unfair to punish patients because of the inability of the ministry to control its stock.
“The real question must be where do these cockroaches come from? In my opinion they must stop putting this service out on tender and let every ward make and serve its own coffee and tea. Then it will be better managed and maintained,” said Dienda. She added that with the services being cancelled patients will have their relatives bring snacks and this will create another problem. “There are people who need their coffee or tea and they cannot wait for dinner or breakfast, if dinner is served at 17:00. So if they stay in the hospital for two weeks and keep the coffee and tea in their bedside lockets then the cockroaches will go there as well,” she insisted.
Shangula said they are not reconsidering the provision of coffee and tea. He added that tea and coffee are provided as part of the meal package that is out on a tender already.
“The cancellation of tea and coffee will not affect the tender now. You must understand that this is only takes effect on 1 April so it will not affect the tender,” he said.
JEMIMA BEUKES
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article