The Ministry of Health and Social Services is investigating allegations that some medical doctors are leaving interns in charge of health facilities, with preliminary investigations already underway in at least two cases.
Health minister Esperance Luvindao revealed this in parliament last week, saying the allegations were brought to her office after an initial response had been prepared.
“Such cases have been investigated, preliminary investigations are underway, and this will allow us to be able to provide a report on the matter,” she said.
Luvindao said the ministry has received reports suggesting the two cases are not isolated incidents.
She said the ministry is now working on ensuring that health facility inspections become more frequent and include surprise visits.
“There must be periodic, so to speak, inspections, sometimes even impromptu inspections to ensure that the necessary doctor that has the licence for that facility is present at that facility and does not, as has been allegedly reported, leave interns behind to manage private facilities,” she said.
Luvindao said the seriousness of the allegations prompted the ministry to launch an investigation and review the country’s regulatory systems.
“We also found the need to then take a look at the entire country as a whole and perhaps use it as an opportunity to fill the gaps where we find that within our regulations or our inspections, there are gaps that must be filled,” she said.
The minister said the investigation includes reviewing licensing and accreditation records, carrying out surprise inspections at private health facilities and working with the Health Professions Council of Namibia (HPCNA) to investigate allegations of professional misconduct.
She said disciplinary action would be taken against healthcare professionals found to have violated regulations.
“I do want to assure the august House that the ministry will, once these investigations have concluded, take swift and decisive action,” Luvindao said.
The minister acknowledged that the ministry’s current system of annual licence renewal inspections may not be enough to identify all instances of substandard practice.
Luvindao said the HPCNA maintains a public register that allows members of the public to verify whether healthcare professionals are properly registered and licensed to practise.
“This includes all healthcare professionals, myself included, and I am mandated to continue to renew my licence every year to be recognised as a medical doctor,” she said.
An intern medical doctor at Mariental State Hospital has raised concerns about how interns are constantly left to run the hospitals.
“We as interns are sometimes left to run the whole hospital and we sometimes have questions on certain medications we do not have answers to.
“Interns are also disrespected by the medical doctors because they do not trust us yet they leave us to run the entire hospital,” the intern told The Namibian yesterday.
According to the intern, medical officers frequently leave after ward rounds, forcing interns to handle emergencies and patient care on their own.
“If there’s an emergency, you need to WhatsApp them or call them. Sometimes when you call, they don’t pick up and when you send them a WhatsApp, they don’t read the message. So you’re kind of just stuck,” the intern said.
Interns are often left to manage patients overnight, with medical officers only returning briefly before leaving again, the intern added.
“The whole time you are on your phone texting when you are stuck or when you feel like you’re not so sure.”
The intern added that while some medical officers remain on duty and assist throughout shifts, others “go home” and expect interns to contact them remotely if problems arise.
Another intern medical doctor at Oshakati State Hospital, who prefers to remain anonymous, says the situation is worse during the festive seasons.
“The doctors want to take their days off so the interns will be left in charge, but other than that, it does not happen very often.
“It’s not as common and that is because they are supervised and watched over,” the intern says.
