NEWS - NAMIBIA
| 2013-07-23Water back at hospital
Tuyeimo Haidula
STILL BUSY ... Workers from the Ministry of Works are still busy with the repair of water pipes, however water supplies are back and patients have expressed a sigh of relief. Photos: Henry van Rooi
PATIENTS and visitors at the Windhoek Central Hospital can breath a sigh of relief as water has been restored at the institution late on Friday afternoon.
The Namibian was informed that President Hifikepunye Pohamba gave an emergency order that N$5 million be released on an urgent basis for pipe repairs at the hospital.
Minister of Presidential Affairs Albert Kawana could not confirm the order while the Minister of Health and Social Services, Richard Kamwi, said he was not aware of such an order by Pohamba. “I returned to office only today and I have been in and out of meetings. I was not around but I was fully briefed that water is running anyway. However, the N$5 million was not mentioned in the briefings,” he said.
The Namibian reported last week that the country’s leading health centre has been struggling without water since a pipe burst on Sunday last week. Some patients had not washed for days and some theatres were closed down.
Several doctors also expressed concern about the situation and said it was becoming a common occurrence at the hospital.
One patient who has been hospitalised for the past three weeks expressed joy that water was finally back.
“I have been here for three weeks now, but last week was hectic, especially for me as a woman and not taking a bath,” said the patient.
Spokesperson of the ministry Ester Paulus stood by her point that there was no shortage of water at the hospital but added that the water was restored on Friday afternoon.
When The Namibian visited the site, workers were still busy fixing the pipes even though water was in the hospital.
Minister of Presidential Affairs Albert Kawana could not confirm the order while the Minister of Health and Social Services, Richard Kamwi, said he was not aware of such an order by Pohamba. “I returned to office only today and I have been in and out of meetings. I was not around but I was fully briefed that water is running anyway. However, the N$5 million was not mentioned in the briefings,” he said.
The Namibian reported last week that the country’s leading health centre has been struggling without water since a pipe burst on Sunday last week. Some patients had not washed for days and some theatres were closed down.
Several doctors also expressed concern about the situation and said it was becoming a common occurrence at the hospital.
One patient who has been hospitalised for the past three weeks expressed joy that water was finally back.
“I have been here for three weeks now, but last week was hectic, especially for me as a woman and not taking a bath,” said the patient.
Spokesperson of the ministry Ester Paulus stood by her point that there was no shortage of water at the hospital but added that the water was restored on Friday afternoon.
When The Namibian visited the site, workers were still busy fixing the pipes even though water was in the hospital.
