Windhoek
Minister of Heath Dr Bernard Haufiku has maintained that the regular outreach visits that he conducts in collaboration with other medical doctors is not a waste of resources or time.
“It is to demonstrate that patients do not always have to be sent to Windhoek for treatment of cases that can be attended to at district hospitals,” Haufiku said at a press conference on Friday, where he announced that he would for four days this week attend to cases at district hospitals in the Ohangwena Region.
“There have been criticisms that the minister is trying to negate his office and policy issues by getting involved in operations. It’s not true. I only do this once in a while and the idea is to try and rally the people around this common agenda,” said Haufiku, who explained that as a medical doctor it is better to lead by example.
Haufiku also expressed the need to sustain the momentum of visiting district hospitals as often as possible, while taking into consideration other long-term objectives of recruiting enough medical doctors and nurses to district hospitals in order for people to be attended to at their nearest hospitals.
The shortages of health personnel, as well as medical equipment to treat patients at district hospitals, are some of the reasons they are sent to Windhoek. Haufiku also observed that the Katutura State Hospital is still overwhelmed by cases from the regions that can be dealt with at district hospitals, had they been well equipped.
Further, he also explained that it is cheaper for the ministry to conduct outreach programmes at district hospitals in the regions than to refer patients to Windhoek.
“Some people think I’m trying to micro-manage the ministry. That is not the case. I’m demonstrating to the district and those of us here that many of those minor cases can be dealt with at district level. We’re not going to do heart transplants, hip replacements and other things, but we will attend to cases that would otherwise be sent to Windhoek,” said Haufiku.