Karas health officials threaten to sue

NINE senior officials in the Karas Regional Health Office at Keetmanshoop have demanded an apology from an ambulance driver for a statement he made in an interview with The Namibian.

Lentin, Botma & Van Den Heever legal practitioners, representing the officials, ordered Erich Binga to publicly withdraw his statement or face a civil defamation suit. Each of the nine officials would be claiming damages of N$25 000, the lawyer’s letter said.Binga has been given 14 days to apologise.Among the health officials threatening to sue Binga are Karas Regional Health Director Pume Katjiuanjo, Jan Steenkamp, Annamarie Scheppers and Andy Anderson, The Namibian was reliably informed.The names of the remaining five officials are not known to The Namibian.When contacted yesterday, Binga acknowledged receipt of a lawyer’s letter threatening him with a civil suit, but he declined to comment.In the article headlined ‘More water blues for Keetmanshoop hospital’, published in The Namibian on April 27, Binga blamed officials in the regional health office for the recurrent water cuts at the hospital.He said the careless attitude of these officials led to late payments.”The officials are running the regional head office as if it is a company owned by them,” he said.”They really don’t care whether the Government’s name comes into disrepute, nor do they care about the welfare of the patients.”According to Binga, when an emergency arises at the hospital and staff on duty look for senior regional officials, they’re simply nowhere to be found.”If one is lucky to trace them, you’ll find them drunk,” he added.Each of the nine officials would be claiming damages of N$25 000, the lawyer’s letter said.Binga has been given 14 days to apologise.Among the health officials threatening to sue Binga are Karas Regional Health Director Pume Katjiuanjo, Jan Steenkamp, Annamarie Scheppers and Andy Anderson, The Namibian was reliably informed.The names of the remaining five officials are not known to The Namibian.When contacted yesterday, Binga acknowledged receipt of a lawyer’s letter threatening him with a civil suit, but he declined to comment.In the article headlined ‘More water blues for Keetmanshoop hospital’, published in The Namibian on April 27, Binga blamed officials in the regional health office for the recurrent water cuts at the hospital.He said the careless attitude of these officials led to late payments.”The officials are running the regional head office as if it is a company owned by them,” he said.”They really don’t care whether the Government’s name comes into disrepute, nor do they care about the welfare of the patients.”According to Binga, when an emergency arises at the hospital and staff on duty look for senior regional officials, they’re simply nowhere to be found.”If one is lucky to trace them, you’ll find them drunk,” he added.