Govt tackling ‘deteriorating’ healthcare

THE Ministry of Health has established a special committee on patient care to address deteriorating standards of care in State hospitals and clinics.

Health Minister Richard Kamwi says the morale of health workers had reached very low levels mainly because of the burden HIV-AIDS placed on the health system. “We are experiencing that patients stay in hospitals longer than ever before because of HIV and the beds are getting overcrowded.In turn, nurses get overburdened because of staff shortages,” Kamwi told a meeting of Namibian diplomats in Windhoek last week.He said a special permanent committee, chaired by the Deputy Minister of Health Petrina Haingura, had been set up to tackle patient care and low morale among health workers.Kamwi and his Permanent Secretary, Dr Kaumbi Shangula, briefed diplomats on the Namibian health system and appealed to them to become involved in the campaign for foreign assistance.Namibia’s Ambassador to Brazil, Patrick Nandago, said health care in hospitals was deteriorating by the day.”Whether we agree or not, everybody out there agrees that it is deteriorating.There is hardly any care for inpatients.People are being cared for by their relatives,” Nandago said during an open and frank discussion.He was supported by the High Commissioner to Nigeria, Phillemon Kambala, who bemoaned the lack of compassion for patients.He said the Ministry had good principles and values on paper but it was not visible in the medical institutions.Ambassador to France Wilfred Emvula referred to “an element of crowdedness”.”It takes a patient a whole day before they get treated.I know of countries with open hands who want to help.How can we boost the morale of the staff?” Emvula asked.Ambassador Ndadi Che Kamati said he visited two State Hospitals and witnessed “all kinds of food being sold on all floors”.Minister Kamwi confirmed that the Ministry was allowing the sale of food such as kapana.”We should not undermine kapana.It can be good nutrition but we don’t allow the sale at any time.Some families also prefer to bring food for relatives.We are monitoring the situation,” Kamwi said.Shangula said the attitude of nurses was “a general problem”.”Nurses are not animals from somewhere else.They come from our societies.Do they reflect the attitudes in the society? Let’s think about that,” he said.The diplomats were informed about aging health equipment and lack of staff.They promised to contact the countries that host them for assistance.”We are experiencing that patients stay in hospitals longer than ever before because of HIV and the beds are getting overcrowded.In turn, nurses get overburdened because of staff shortages,” Kamwi told a meeting of Namibian diplomats in Windhoek last week.He said a special permanent committee, chaired by the Deputy Minister of Health Petrina Haingura, had been set up to tackle patient care and low morale among health workers.Kamwi and his Permanent Secretary, Dr Kaumbi Shangula, briefed diplomats on the Namibian health system and appealed to them to become involved in the campaign for foreign assistance.Namibia’s Ambassador to Brazil, Patrick Nandago, said health care in hospitals was deteriorating by the day.”Whether we agree or not, everybody out there agrees that it is deteriorating.There is hardly any care for inpatients.People are being cared for by their relatives,” Nandago said during an open and frank discussion.He was supported by the High Commissioner to Nigeria, Phillemon Kambala, who bemoaned the lack of compassion for patients.He said the Ministry had good principles and values on paper but it was not visible in the medical institutions.Ambassador to France Wilfred Emvula referred to “an element of crowdedness”.”It takes a patient a whole day before they get treated.I know of countries with open hands who want to help.How can we boost the morale of the staff?” Emvula asked.Ambassador Ndadi Che Kamati said he visited two State Hospitals and witnessed “all kinds of food being sold on all floors”.Minister Kamwi confirmed that the Ministry was allowing the sale of food such as kapana.”We should not undermine kapana.It can be good nutrition but we don’t allow the sale at any time.Some families also prefer to bring food for relatives.We are monitoring the situation,” Kamwi said.Shangula said the attitude of nurses was “a general problem”.”Nurses are not animals from somewhere else.They come from our societies.Do they reflect the attitudes in the society? Let’s think about that,” he said.The diplomats were informed about aging health equipment and lack of staff.They promised to contact the countries that host them for assistance.