– Power Outages and Improper Stocks Lead to Crisis By Surihe Gaomas WINDHOEK The Ministry of Health and Social Services will from now on refer all theatre cases from Windhoek Central Hospital to private health institutions in the capital. This follows recent complaints by medical practitioners working at State hospitals who threatened to walk out due to inadequately stocked theatres. The hospital has been experiencing power outages in the operating theatre following the recently installed new electrical appliances such as central air-conditioners and heaters. Due to the unreliability of power supply to the operating theatre at the Windhoek Central Hospital, the ministry said it would from now on make use of theatre facilities at other private hospitals in Windhoek. The blackouts coupled with the shortage of medical equipment forced a specialist doctor who had been operating on a patient a week ago to walk away in frustration. At a media briefing in the capital yesterday, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, said the operations would therefore be conducted at other theatres in the city until the reliability of power supply was restored completely to the Windhoek Central Hospital. “We will not schedule operations to that theatre, but make use of other theatres in the capital. We had several meetings with the Ministry of Works and the generator is available. It just needs installation,” said Shangula. Furthermore, the Department of Works is sourcing new batteries aimed at supporting the theatre light back-up system in case of a power outage, while the standby generator is also receiving attention. Shangula said the recent power disruption was caused by a “mismatch (that) occurred between the electricity supply and consumption. This problem is now being investigated with a view to correct it. The hospital has immediately reduced power usage by taking as many heaters off the electrical system as possible,” said Shangula. All three private hospitals – Medi-City, Roman Catholic and Rhino Park – were aware of the situation of electricity blackouts and were willing to assist the State with their patient operations. “We are not going to continue with the normal operation list here. We are only going to take care of emergencies. Visiting South African doctors came to operate here and we can’t stop that process. But for now, we don’t know what the cost implications will be,” said Medical Superintendent of the Windhoek Central Hospital Dr Helen Nkandi-Shiimi. At the press briefing yesterday she said that operations in the maternity ward would continue at the central hospital as it had recently been refurbished with assistance from Nampower. In normal instances, private patients are required to pay nearly N$6 000 as deposit for an operation at a private hospital. New Era learnt that in the case of a State patient all that is needed is an authorisation letter from the patient’s doctor for the operation referral, and that amount will be paid to the private hospital through the government medical aid fund. In an effort to address its shortage of medical equipment at all public hospitals countrywide, the Ministry of Health and Social Services is awaiting a shipment of medical equipment worth about N$200 million. The orthopaedic operating theatre table in Katutura Hospital is one of those that need replacement. Dr Shangula said replacing the current table was included in the replacement project initiated by the ministry. “The international tender was advertised and awarded in 2006. I have received confirmation that the shipment of equipment will start this month and it is already on the way,” said Dr Shangula. The ministry also plans to buy one additional orthopaedic operating table and six orthopaedic drills during this financial year.