WINDHOEK – One week after the state eye clinic at Windhoek Central Hospital closed due to lack of medicine and funds, the Ministry of Health and Social Services yesterday announced its operations would resume at the end of this month.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Ben Nangombe, said that for now only emergency cases will be attended to at the clinic.
A few days after the clinic closed and the health ministry called for Good Samaritans to help government save it, Ombaye Fishing Company and its owner Libolly Haufiku responded to the SOS with a cash donation of N$100,000.
“We felt it is important to assist the government, as it can’t do it alone. We know that the economic hardship is affecting everyone in the country,” commented Haufiku.
The funds will be used to procure the most critical clinical supplies and pharmaceuticals as identified by doctors at the eye clinic, said Nangombe.
The items are expected to be delivered the end of the month, according to the press release of the health ministry.
Nangombe told New Era in a telephonic interview that almost all the medications can be found in the government’s Central Medical Stores.
“Since last week and before the donation, we were able to allocate resources for the eye clinic. We are still waiting for one particular kind of medication, but all the others can be found in the government stores,” he added.
Nangombe also explained that the only thing needed by the clinic was medication. “If we have all the medication required, then the clinic can work normally,” he explained.
“But we are still hoping for more donations from the private sector, to secure the well-being of the eye clinic,” stated Nangombe.
* Lucie Mouillaud is a journalism intern from Toulouse south of France