Hospital chief resigned once too many

THE Ministry of Health and Social Services yesterday officially announced the departure of Dr Helen Nkandi-Shiimi as medical superintendent of the Windhoek Central Hospital.

This follows weeks of denial by Nkandi-Shiimi, who it was reported had tried in vain to withdraw her resignation last month.
In a press statement issued yesterday, the Permanent Secretary of the Health Ministry, Kahijoro Kahuure, announced that the termination of Kandhi-Shiimi’s employ with the ministry had already taken effect on December 14.
By yesterday afternoon, she was however still in her office.
When initially contacted by The Namibian for comment on the ministry’s statement, Kandhi-Shiimi expressed surprise, saying the information had not been forwarded to her.
‘I don’t know. Maybe the PS will need to explain to you what happened. From my side, I don’t know,’ she said.
In a subsequent discussion however, she said she was happy for the woman who was yesterday appointed in her position in an acting capacity.
Dr Sarah Shalongo has in the past acted as medical superintendent at the hospital when Kandhi-Shiimi was away.
The Permanent Secretary yesterday called on all ministry staff to give Shalongo their assistance and support.
Word of Kandhi-Shiimi’s resignation had been going around on several occasions last year, after she apparently twice handed in her resignation to the PS and then withdrawing it almost immediately.
Sources within the ministry alleged that Kandhi-Shiimi had been trying to get the ministry to pay for her MBA studies, a venture she had embarked upon in her personal capacity.
‘She tried, but as far as the ministry was concerned she had started those courses at own risk. There was just no way,’ one doctor spoken to said.
Kandhi-Shiimi denied all such reports when questioned.
Kandhi-Shiimi has been a controversial figure at the hospital for years, and in 2007 was the target of a demonstration by the Namibia Nurses Union (Nanu), who wanted her removed from her post.
The union argued that she was unfit for her duties, citing frequent trips to Europe that she apparently undertook for study purposes.
Last year, hospital staff and readers contributing to The Namibian’s SMS page complained over the use of the Windhoek Central Hospital’s casualty ward for the shooting of certain scenes of a locally produced soap opera, ‘The Ties That Bind Us’.
Kandhi-Shiimi is said to play a major role in that series.