ONGWEDIVA – Engela District Hospital, one of the biggest hospitals in the north, is facing an array of challenges that hamper proper and adequate services to the communities it serves.

Defunct generator backup systems in times of power outages, inadequate mortuary cabinets, lack of a sewerage system and broken laundry machines – to mention a few – are just some of the challenges contributing to compromised healthcare quality.

The hospital, situated at the border town of Helao Nafidi, caters for not only about 10 surrounding constituencies, but also Angolan nationals, who cross the border daily for various medical services, including antenatal care and collecting various medications.

The situation was brought to light following the visitation to the hospital earlier this month by the Popular Democratic Movement’s (PDM) member of parliament, Hidipo Hamata.

According to Hamata the hospital also lacks physical infrastructure, such as buildings, beds, medical equipment and other fixed assets, which could pose a huge obstacle for healthcare facilities to expand their medical services as well as improve healthcare quality.

“The generator that is supposed to supply the hospital with electricity in instances of a power outage is not working. The generator has not been working for many months now. Doctors are said to use their cell phone flashlights during surgeries. It is largely unacceptable for a large hospital like the Engela State Hospital to operate without a working standby generator,” complained Hamata in a press statement.

Although the hospital and the ministry have subsequently refuted the allegations of doctors using cellphone flashlights during surgeries, an initial response, forwarded to New Era by the ministry from the regional health director Johannes Hango, confirmed that even though the power generators are now working, their automatic switches are dysfunctional. 

“…they are being switched off manually. This disturbs the power coming back to the wards. A purchase order has been given to the company to repair this [sic],” he said in response to New Era’s questions that were sent to the executive director, Ben Nangombe and the ministry’s spokesperson. 

Regarding the inadequacy of mortuary cabinets, three out of 15 cabinets are not functional, as the compressors have burnt due to power outages.

In a press statement issued yesterday, the ministry said the matter is being attended to through the procurement management committee. 

The ministry further noted the hospital has another functional, separate mortuary that can keep up to 20 bodies – and that they have not been faced with any challenges of space at the mortuary.

Hango also said the only time the hospital was unable to store the bodies was in December when there was a power supply problem; hence, the hospital had to inform families to prepare burials or take bodies to private undertakers.

Sewage problems

Hygiene at the district hospital is also said to be compromised, as the hospital does not have a sewage-pumping machine; it currently uses one that belongs to the Helao Nafidi Town Council.

Speaking to New Era, a staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the sewage spills around the hospital caused an unbearable stench that could cause health hazards.

“The smell is very unpleasant. It has been a while with this persistent sewage problem,” she said.

Hango also informed Nangombe the sewerage pump has indeed been a headache for years.

“Efforts have been done relentlessly to address it. These were discussed with the facility management, but the quotations always come out exceeding the minor capital work. Even now, we have documented at the procurement office, seeking the revamp of the machine so that we can hand it over to the town council. This is an ongoing process, which is heartbreaking. For almost a year now, we are struggling to get this one done,” he noted.

Contrary to the statement from the ministry, there are no problems related to sewerage experienced inside the hospital because the Helao Nafidi pump is still running.

“No other issue related to the sewerage services is currently being experienced in the hospital. This arrangement fits in well with the philosophy of a whole-of-government approach to the delivery of public goods and services. The more offices, ministries and agencies work together and jointly provide public services, the more savings the government will realise in the long run,” reads the statement.

In addition, the ministry said, the replacement of the sewerage pump has been submitted to the procurement unit in the ministry. In addition, the hospital’s laundry machine is also broken, and hospital linen is taken to either the Onandjokwe or Oshakati state hospitals. The ministry assured the purchase orders have already been issued so that the machines can be fixed.

“The supplier is waiting to receive the spare parts. We ensure that no patients use dirty linens in the hospital,” said the ministry.

Engela hospital portrays problems faced by a majority of public hospitals in Namibia.

- ashikololo@nepc.com.na