When he took the Hippocratic Oath, Dr Theo-Ben Raumana Kandetu knew he would carry with him the lifelong responsibility of caring for patients.

“When I took that oath in 2016 and committed to a life as a medical doctor, I knew I would carry these patients with me for the rest of my life. That this sacrifice would be balanced by witnessing the best and most rewarding outcomes of my efforts,” said Dr Kandetu, one of the youngest senior medical doctors in the country.

About why he opted to join the public health sector as a medical practitioner, he revealed that what drew him to medicine is being able to intervene and help an ill person get back to full health.

“Studying Biology in high school, especially how the human body functions, intensified my fascination to pursue medicine. Healthcare is a calling, and I can honestly say I have no regrets,” he said.

Born and raised in Windhoek, Dr Kandetu was among the first intakes at the University of Namibia’s School of Medicine in 2010 to pursue a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. 

This was after completing his secondary school at St George’s Diocesan College.

He joined the civil service in 2016 as an intern medical doctor, attached to Katutura State Hospital and Windhoek Central Hospital.

In 2018, he became a medical practitioner at the age of 27. 

He worked as a senior medical officer in the department of internal medicine at Windhoek Central Hospital, the national referral hospital in Namibia.

He is currently acting as a deputy executive director in the Ministry of Health and Social Services, where his primary role is to provide technical support and advice to the executive director on strategies to advance public health and clinical services in the ministry.   

Among his duties are internal and external relations as well as multi-lateral relations with development cooperation partners, such as the World Health Organisation (WHO).

In addition to dealing with medical malpractice and medical negligence in the ministry, he also maintains clinical roles at the Windhoek Central Hospital and Katutura State Hospital.

Asked why he decided to join the public service, he said, “for me, it is a calling. I had always wanted to be a doctor since adolescence”.

The most challenging thing about his work, Kandetu said, “ask me that same question at 02h00 during a 24-hour shift in the emergency centre, and my answer will probably be different. That is to say, there are good days and bad days – like any other profession.

Absolutely! Like other medical professionals, the fear of an error in clinical judgment, or an omission on the prescription chart, changing the outcome of a patient’s prognosis for the worst, is haunting. But this fear is also what drives me to always be vigilant on the job, especially during those late-night shifts,” he said.

He, however, said he is privileged to wear two hats – as a medical doctor and a public health administrator. 

“As an administrator, I find satisfaction in the fact that I have the opportunity to not only be part of the process of policy formulation but also policy implementation, which impacts the lives of patients and clients on a large scale. As a clinician, I find great reward in, not just being on the ground and interacting with patients, but also seeing first-hand how the national policies are implemented at the health facility level, and identifying challenges or gaps in policy implementation at the grassroots level.” 

“My job also gives me an opportunity to be actively involved in strategic planning, problem-solving and addressing challenges that may arise with regard to the implementation of Ministerial policies or strategies. I enjoy being a civil servant, although it can be quite challenging at times, as it’s all about how well you can master the art of human interaction and human behaviour. 

“You can be exposed to a person with a good attitude or a person with a bad attitude, but what’s important as a civil servant is to be able to manage both types of attitudes with integrity. To be a good civil servant, I think you need to have a passion to serve – even beyond the call of duty.

“From a clinical perspective, I also find it fulfilling to observe the transformation of my patients from illness to recovery and knowing that my intervention had something to do with it,” he said.

Kandetu further said it is satisfying when the public recognises the hard work of the ministry. 

“I have the pleasure of working with a diverse group of hard-working and committed health workers, who go above and beyond the call of duty even when faced with resource constraints. And it is really gratifying when members of the public recognise the good work of the ministry. Of course, we have our challenges, like any other organisation. But we are committed to addressing those challenges and providing equitable access to quality health and social services to all Namibians.

Accomplishments

He said the ministry has accomplished a great deal over the last few years through teamwork.

“The Covid-19 pandemic exposed many inequalities in our country’s healthcare system, and it gave us an opportunity to prioritise the strengthening of Namibia’s healthcare system by improving our health infrastructure, strengthening the human workforce and conducting quality training of our healthcare workers. 

“Of course, this is an ongoing exercise, but with the assistance of our development cooperation partners, we have already been able to strengthen access to, and delivery of, quality medical oxygen at health facilities nationwide, as well as to equip a number of district hospitals to deliver intensive care to patients. Plans are underway to also expand dialysis services to more regional hospitals, as well as to build more health facilities in underserved communities,” Kandetu said.

Moreover, he expressed his satisfaction with the country’s quest towards universal health coverage. 

“A lot has also been achieved in terms of universal health coverage (UHC), which focuses on people-centred primary health care. UHC basically means that all people have access to an essential package of quality health services when they need it, and where they need it, without suffering from financial hardship. According to the World Health Organisation’s UHC service coverage index, Namibia scored between 60-79 %, which ranks us amongst the top five countries in Africa, according to 2019 data. We have a UHC policy framework that guides us to achieve UHC by 2030,” Kandetu said.

With regard to the misconception that civil servants are unproductive and inefficient, Kandetu had this to say, “I don’t agree with that. Like in any sector, you will find that there are people who don’t put much effort into their work and those who put great effort into their work. The ministry is rife with examples of health workers who are very hard-working and committed to service delivery.  Dr Kandetu plans to serve in public service for the rest of his life, and it is his dream to see the country achieving universal health coverage, strengthening Namibia’s public health system and training more specialised health workers locally.