ONGWEDIVA – The 29-year-old Naholo Shihafeleni who was last week nabbed whilst attempting to smuggle unauthorised pharmaceutical products, including medicine was denied bail in the Outapi Magistrate’s Court on Friday. His case was remanded to 20 April this year. He was arrested at the Oikokola border post in the Etayi constituency in the Omusati region.
The pharmaceutical products were allegedly found in a bag he was carrying.
Shihafeleni until his time of arrest was stationed at the Odimbwa clinic since 2015.
Although it has not come to light where the supply came from, the suspect allegedly claims that he got the supply from Oshakati.
Health ministry executive director Ben Nangombe condemned the act, describing it as a deliberate act aimed at sabotaging government efforts to deliver efficient and effective health services to the public.
Nangombe thus vowed that while the law is doing its part, the ministry will also undertake its own investigation and take action against the accused as per the Public Service Act.
“Of concern is that as much as the government is trying to make medicine and other medical supplies available at our health facilities, we then have unfortunate incidents such as this one which literally sabotage the efforts of government to provide essential medical services to our people,” said Nangombe.
Nangombe encouraged the public to desist against getting medicine being dispensed from bags.
He said medicine should be obtained from the hospital or from the pharmacy.
“It cannot be that someone is dispensing medicine from the backpack, it should be either from the hospital or the pharmacy,” Nangombe said further.
– nashipala@nepc.com.na