Unfinished, abandoned hospitals irk regions

Access to healthcare continues to evade the poor. A number of hospitals and clinics have been abandoned unfinished by building contractors while others are said to lack doctors and equipment.
All this was revealed in regional councils’ reports submitted to the National Assembly.
In its report, the Otjozondjupa Regional Council complained about the Okondjatu Health Centre in the Okakarara Constituency which has been left uncompleted for more than three years.
The absence of an intensive care unit in the region led to unnecessary deaths, it said.
The council also complained about the dire need for a clinic at the Five Rand settlement at Okahandja, and the section of the B1 road between Otavi and Okahandja, which is regarded as an accident hot spot.
Otjozondjupa is the fourth largest region in the country with a population of over 143 000 inhabitants, according to the 2011 census. The council report says the region has 21 public health facilities.
The Zambezi Region also complained about the long distances to referral hospitals. The regional council said the hospital at Rundu in the Kavango East Region is 535km from Katima Mulilo while the referral hospital in Windhoek is more than 1 200km away.
The regional council also said the ultrasound machine at Katima Mulilo State Hospital has been out of order for almost a year and its high care unit does not have a ventilator and monitors.
The //Karas Region complained about a staff shortage at public health facilities, especially at Lüderitz and Keetmanshoop.
The Kavango West Region accused the health ministry of slow progress on the construction of the Nkurenkuru referral hospital and the upgrading of the Katjinakatji and Ncaute clinics in the region.
In the Kunene Regional Council’s report tabled by National Council member Antsino Johannes, the health situation in the region, especially in the Opuwo Urban Constituency, was described as a thorn in the flesh of residents and tourists.
The council said patients wait for hours, if not days, to see nurses or doctors because of staff shortage at state medical facilities. Johannes said he personally visited Opuwo State Hospital on 30 December last year and found that to be true. The regional council said Opuwo needed a new hospital, or the ministry should upgrade the district hospital to a referral hospital. It also recommended the construction of additional clinics at identified places.
GORDON JOSEPH