Onandjokwe – Expecting mothers at the Onandjokwe State Hospital are living under what some of them describe as horrific or scary situations as they sleep under some trees next to the morgue.

They said the waiting ward for pregnant women is overcrowded, and there is thus no space to accommodate them.

“We have no choice since our pregnancies are almost due and most of us live deep in the rural areas, far from the hospital. The situation forces us to lodge here, under the trees, next to the waiting ward. But the problem is that this place is next to the mortuary, and here we sleep on boxes,” one of the close to 30 women who are sleeping outside told New Era.

The waiting ward, which is commonly known as Ewalanda in Oshiwambo, helps many women who are staying far from hospital because they don’t have to travel long distances during uterine contractions. Those who spoke to this publication said they are terrified by the movement of the mortuary attendants whenever they collect the bodies from the wards and take them to the mortuary when someone dies in the hospital. They added that they don’t sleep well since the place is always busy. The women further told New Era that they are constantly living in fear of snakes and scorpions, especially when it’s windy. They stated that it’s unsafe for an expectant woman to sleep on the ground, and were also concerned about their unborn babies.

Moreover, those who used to sleep in the ward have expressed frustration over the poor services and bad living while waiting.

They furthermore sleep on broken beds, while some sleep on the floor on mattresses.

They pay N$2 for the ward per day.

“For those who can not afford to pay N$2, they used to go and clean nurses’ and doctors’ houses, as well as the hospital yard,” another woman lamented.

They stated that it is not fair when they used to do the work of the cleaners, but are not paid anything.

They furthermore used to cultivate grass in lieu of paying N$2.

Ruusa Heimo from Onamulunga village, who has been sleeping under the tree for two weeks, said there are lots of cats in the hospital yard that eat their food when they sleep as there is no decent place to store their food.

“We are suffering here. It’s not easy for an expectant woman to sleep on boxes while waiting to give birth,” she decried their situation.

Heimo added that on a daily basis, expectant women are coming to the waiting ward, but there is no space to accommodate them all. 

“The only option is to stay under the tree. But during the rainy season, it’s going to be a big challenge for those who are coming that time,” she continued. Also speaking to New Era, Elizabetha Andreas from Omuthiya, who had been staying under the tree for one week, stated that they cook in the sun because there is no shade covering the place where they prepare meals.

“We also used to go out to remote areas, looking for firewood since there is no firewood in the hospital premises,” said Andreas.

Therefore, they are requesting the government to build a big waiting ward that would be accommodating more expectant women, and to also cover the area where they cook.

When approached for comment, Oshikoto regional health director Joshua Nghipangelwa said his office is fully aware of the bad living conditions at the waiting ward.

“We have already planned to renovate the waiting ward, and also to expand it. We will furthermore put up shades where they cook,” he added. 

-fhamalwa@nepc.com.na