Tauno Haufiku is a skilful registered nurse in the Ministry of Health and Social Services, who believes that nursing services are the breastmilk of human wellness, and being a committed, competent and caring nurse resonates squarely well with the love he has for the community and altruism attributes he possesses.

Haufiku joined public service in 2010 as a police officer for three years. In 2013, he resigned to go further his studies in the nursing field – just to rejoin the public service in 2018 as a registered nurse at Okankolo Health Centre in the Oshikoto region. 

 In 2021, he moved to Mupini Health Centre in the Kavango West region, where he is currently serving as a nurse – in charge of the CDC department, among other responsibilities.

 Asked what glued him to public service, Haufiku saw this move as an opportunity to plough back, since government created a conducive environment for him and those in his generation to further their studies.

 “I sincerely trust in the government as a reliable employer; it coincided with the three working years of contact I had with the government that funded my studies. Moreover, it is satisfying in the sense that I have the privilege to impact clients’ lives, transforming their healthy lifestyles and encouraging them to live a positive life with that I ensure our nation is healthy as it is wealthier,” he said.

 Haufiku was thrilled by the opportunity to contribute to the realisation of the strategic objectives of the ministry and government’s target of Vision 2030 and national strategic framework to end HIV/AIDS, and to a clarion call of the ministry to alleviate the leading cause of death in women living with HIV, namely cancer as a competent fully-fledged Nurse Initiated Management of ART (NIMART) and Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) nurse. 

 “I believe I am fit for purpose in helping the Government to accomplish its objective,” he said.

 The government implores professional development and intellectual growth by envisaging workshops and training platforms; in addition, the government renders job security, especially in this turbulent economy.

 As a registered nurse, Haufiku has a myriad of responsibilities, ranging from training, management, administration and compiling of statistics. 

 “To be more specific, I am a certified NIMART, VIA TB (Tuberculosis) Nurse, and the nurse in charge of the CDC department at our facility,” he said.

His story

 Hailing from Ogha village in the Ohangwena region, Haufiku said after completing secondary education, he could not enter university to pursue his dream career. 

“I was unfortunate that I was consumed by the street for two solid years – not by choice but due to a lack of tertiary institutions’ application fees as a result of crippled financial support; my single mother had no source of income, and no one could help. I never relented nor surrendered. In the meantime, I tried to make ends meet. Some days I followed big boys at construction sites in the outskirts of Windhoek, and some other days I sold Kavango wood carvings in town,” he said.

Rewards 

 He professed that the reward from the job far outweighs the challenges since being able to change one life at a time can be rewarding. But while he enjoys every day at work, some days are not without challenges. 

 “Most of the challenges resemble motivating factors. The only remaining challenge that I am battling is the language barrier, but since competence and skill breed confidence, I learned how to interact with patients with minimal translation needed,” he said.

 He cited the long queues, non-befitting attitude towards clients and among employees, short turn-around time given to clients on chronic treatments, administrative hiccups and poor liaisons with implementing partners as some of the challenges. 

 “As per my slogan, ‘I do not come in a place where everything remains the same’. Patients travel 15km – not only to seek service of a day – but because they love our services, as it is fast, friendly and effective,” he said.

Misconception 

When asked about his take on the misconception that public institutions are unproductive and inefficient, Haufiku said, “In general, some government workers who fit the definition of salary collectors, who do not have clients/patients at heart, tend to take ownership of their core mandate and responsibilities, with the perception of ‘it is the government that brings me in this work; no one can chase me out even if I mess up’. It leads to the thief of government time, thus becoming unproductive and inefficient.

 “On the contrary and to a larger extent, most government employees who put clients at the centre of what we do, and who want to be remembered as competent and ever available, align their work squarely well with government policies, rules and guidelines, and they work towards meeting patients’ needs offer top-notch service that is effective, equitable, affordable and efficient,” he said.

Going forward

 “The future and my employability in the health sector are diverse, with a plethora of opportunities. As long as I am serving the people of Namibia to the best of my abilities in the state or private sector, I will be a happy nurse,” he said.