FORMER minister of health and social services Bernard Haufiku’s suspension from the Roman Catholic Hospital (RCH) in Windhoek recently was allegedly due to his bad attitude.
“We don ‘t feel safe at this hospital any more if someone can threaten [us] while the sister is here, as one of the owners of the hospital … “ says Roman Catholic Hospital matron Bernadette Shipanga.
This comes as Haufiku was recently barred from entering the RCH in Windhoek from March until further notice.
“He is banned because of his behaviour and attitude,” Shipanga says.
Shipanga and RCH hospital administrator Giselinde Shivolo claim Haufiku breached the hospital’s code of conduct, as well as the contract he signed in 2001 when he first started renting a consultation room at the hospital.
Last Friday, Haufiku confirmed he was given a notice at the hospital’s entrance the night before, when security guards barred him from visiting a friend.
Haufiku however denied that he made any threats to the hospitals leadership. He allegedly threatened to forcefully enter the hospital.
In addition to owing the hospital N$63 064.78, Haufiku is also accused of breaching his contract.
Haufiku allegedly illegally sublet his consultation room at RCH to another practice for N$35 000, while his rent amounted to N$6 700.
According to his contract with RCH, Haufiku is not allowed to sublet his consultation room.
When Haufiku became the health minister in 2015, he was reportedly obligated to inform the hospital of his new role and his intention with the consultation room.
As his bill increased, Haufiku was notified of his outstanding amount at the end of February 2016.
In December of the same year, the former minister was written “detailed” letters informing him of the outstanding amounts, and asked about the activities at his consultation room, Shipanga says.
In one such letter, dated 7 December 2021, she wrote: “The year 2015 when Dr Haufiku became a minister of health; without the authorisation of Roman Catholic Hospital, Dr started to sublet the RCH premises to other two doctors, Family Wise Medical Practice. The sub-letting of the RCH premises to a third party is prohibited.
“Dr Haufiku stopped paying his rent fees, therefore his outstanding amount accumulated to N$72,422,34. The Family Wise Medical Practice were paying Dr Haufiku even more and paid Dr Haufiku a gratuity fee of N$35 000 for the said period of five years.”
According to bank statements seen by The Namibian, at the end of 2017, Haufiku’s outstanding amount stood at N$68 064.68.
“The RCH only became aware of this outstanding amount (end of Feb 2016) and started making Dr aware by writing letters as well as forwarding statements. I personally went to deliver a written notice letter demanding this huge outstanding amount of N$68 064.68 on 4 December 2018 (including a detailed ledger from March 2016 till November 2018) as evidence,” the letter further reads.
After this, Haufiku paid N$5 000.
Shipanga says Haufiku committed to paying N$5 000 monthly to offset his debt.
However, after paying once, he stopped settling the debt, she says.
“Ever since, several letters have been forwarded and even delivered to Dr Haufiku, also after he became special adviser to the vice president, but still the amount of N$68 064,68 hasn ‘t changed. He kept ignoring the RCH.
“The hospital decided not to renew his lease contract and put it in writing on 3 May 2019,” Shipanga says.
Shipanga and Shivolo say Haufiku has been to the hospital at least twice without informing them of his intention.
One of these times saw Haufiku taking over a patient without informing the RCH leadership, they say.
Knowing that he is banned, Haufiku allegedly still went to the hospital to treat a patient, visit a friend and to pick up equipment left in the consultation room.
Haufiku is also accused of blocking the entry to the casualty area, which resulted in patients being rerouted, Shivolo says.
“All our meetings end in arguments and the board of directors are well aware of our decisions and stand by them,” Shipanga says.
According to Shipanga, the hospital is not as concerned about the outstanding debt, but is rather disappointed in the manner in which Haufiku treated the hospital.
