"The last order for crude oil was in October," the source said.

The two boiler machines need 900 000 litres and are supplied with 300 000 litres of oil each month, according to the source.

"We can expect a shutdown anytime if oil is not supplied soon," the source said, adding that late payments for the oil could be the reason.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, yesterday said his ministry was not aware of any fuel shortage.

"As far as we know, arrangements are already underway for the order of this month," he said.

However, a source within the oil supplier yesterday confirmed that no order had been received by noon yesterday from the Health Ministry.

Shangula said suppliers only received late payments if there were errors on their invoices.

"The process of payment depends on the correctness of the invoices submitted, and if the invoices are incorrect then definitely the payment will be delayed," he said.

The Windhoek Central State Hospital's laundry recently ground to a standstill for five weeks because of a broken boiler pump and motor.

The laundry resumed operations at the beginning of this month.

The Central Hospital handles laundry from the Katutura State Hospital, the psychiatric hospital, TB hospital, two health centres and five clinics in Windhoek.

During the breakdown, a private laundry, Laundry for Africa at Swakopmund, was contracted to do the washing and ironing of all State health care institutions in Windhoek.

Shangula said it cost the ministry N$148 846, plus N$5 455 to fuel the ministry's vehicles that transported the linen to Swakopmund.

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