Berseba clinic still in the dark

THE clinic at Berseba in the South is still without power after the Village Council suspended electricity supply four weeks ago because of non-payment.

The Namibian has it on good authority that the Ministry of Health owes the council more than N$46 000 for water and electricity. Yesterday, Village Council Secretary Thomas Dreyer reiterated that the Council would only reconnect the electricity supply if half of the amount owed was paid.The Namibian was informed that the Health Ministry had questioned the huge water bill and requested invoices to verify the amount owed to the Council.Dreyer said the invoices had been sent to the Ministry last week Tuesday.However, by yesterday the clinic’s water bill was still not paid, according to Dreyer.A senior accountant in the Ministry’s finance department, who prefers anonymity, yesterday acknowledged that the Ministry disputed the amount it owed the Council.According to the official, the Council billed the Health Ministry double the amount that it claims it owes the Council.The accountant, who is based at Keetmanshoop but is currently in Windhoek to finalise the outstanding payments of the Karas health region, said the outstanding amount would be fully paid once the billing error was corrected.But Dreyer disagreed, saying there had been no billing errors.The power cut at the clinic led to vaccinations being suspended, because the vaccines could not be kept refrigerated.Children needing vaccination against polio, measles and other childhood illnesses have been referred to other clinics or hospitals in the region.Yesterday, Village Council Secretary Thomas Dreyer reiterated that the Council would only reconnect the electricity supply if half of the amount owed was paid.The Namibian was informed that the Health Ministry had questioned the huge water bill and requested invoices to verify the amount owed to the Council.Dreyer said the invoices had been sent to the Ministry last week Tuesday.However, by yesterday the clinic’s water bill was still not paid, according to Dreyer.A senior accountant in the Ministry’s finance department, who prefers anonymity, yesterday acknowledged that the Ministry disputed the amount it owed the Council.According to the official, the Council billed the Health Ministry double the amount that it claims it owes the Council.The accountant, who is based at Keetmanshoop but is currently in Windhoek to finalise the outstanding payments of the Karas health region, said the outstanding amount would be fully paid once the billing error was corrected.But Dreyer disagreed, saying there had been no billing errors.The power cut at the clinic led to vaccinations being suspended, because the vaccines could not be kept refrigerated.Children needing vaccination against polio, measles and other childhood illnesses have been referred to other clinics or hospitals in the region.