RUNDU – The acting regional health director of the Rundu State Hospital, Timea Ngwira, had to intervene to ensure that a young patient received treatment in Windhoek.
This is after a 17-year-old Alfeus Muyenga was sent back to Rundu by the Windhoek Central Hospital on Friday for not having his CT Scan results. Muyenga was referred to Windhoek by the Rundu State Hospital after he sustained a fracture above his eye following a school ground fistfight a fortnight ago. Medical documents in New Era’s possession confirm that the patient was indeed sent back to Rundu to collect the CT scan results. “No evaluation can be done without CT Scan. Pls return ASAP with scan,” reads the document. He was admitted in the Rundu State Hospital after he was struck by a brick on the right eye on October 7, 2013.
Last Tuesday he was referred from the ophthamology department in Rundu to Windhoek. However, he was sent back to Rundu to collect the CT scan results. Ngwira, intervened by sending Muyenge back in an ambulance, which means the patient clocked about 2145 kilometres in four days. During a meeting with the patient’s guardians on Friday, Ngwira acknowledged that the hospital staff in Rundu were at fault for not availing the required documents to the hospital in Windhoek, but also took a swipe at the staff in Windhoek.
“This is really not acceptable, the state hospitals in Windhoek also have X-ray machines and CT scanners, and they were just supposed to do the scans in Windhoek. But before we start fighting, let us first ensure that the patient receives treatment and then we can fight,” said Ngwira, who was unaware of the situation until he was approached for comment by New Era on Friday. Speaking to New Era from his hospital bed before he departed on Saturday morning, the boy said he is about to sit for the Grade 7 external examinations, but he cannot study or go to school because of the injury to his eye. In the referral letter, medical staff indicated that he is being referred so that an opthamologist could intervene, because he suffered an orbital bone fracture, but fortunately no sensory loss.
By Mathias Haufiku