Renovations at Katutura Intermediate Hospital are yet to start, almost a year after the government allocated N$40 million to the project, forcing nurses and doctors to perform surgeries in dilapidated theatres.
The renovations were due to start 10 months ago, but the Ministry of Works and Transport this week said it has yet to appoint a consultant to design the theatres.
The Namibian visited the hospital’s surgical theatres, which have peeling wallpaper exposing adhesive glue, damaged locker rooms, old equipment and broken doors.
Some medical personnel at the hospital said they were informed that the first four procedures of the year would take place on 3 February.
These surgeries were to take place in the same theatres staff had left in an unconducive condition. This was communicated in a letter sent to all heads of department, senior medical officers and nurse managers on 31 January.
“In addition, it is important to note that the air conditioning system in theatre one and six is currently not operational,” the letter said.
Gynecological surgeries, however, have not been moved to the dilapidated theatres.
“All gynaecological surgeries will continue to be performed at the respiratory unit theatre should the air conditioning issues not be addressed and resolved prior to the transition date,” the letter stated.
Following the notice about upcoming surgeries, staff were at the hospital’s theatre unit on Saturday to receive and arrange the machinery transferred from Windhoek Central Hospital.
Namibia Nurses Union representative Ruben Uunona says nurses hoped the dilapidated facilities would be fixed. He says following the renovation announcement, they expected a more conducive working environment.
“Imagine, air conditioning systems are not working, you are dressed like that. Even where [medical staff] are seated, it’s just not comfortable,” he says.
Uunona stresses that medical staff deserve better working conditions given their demanding work.
“These people stand quite for some long operations,” Uunona says.
He describes the current state of the hospital as a mess and wants it to be renovated.
“It’s a mess. If you go to some departments – even though people are hiding it – you see mice are running, even cockroaches are there,” he says.
‘UNCONDUCIVE’
Katutura Intermediate Hospital’s medical superintendent Dr Nelago Amagulu on Monday described the surgical theatre unit’s condition as “not conducive”.
She explained that the entire second floor, encompassing general wards 2A and 2B, the medical intensive care unit (ICU), the theatre complex and the head injury unit, was vacated last year for renovations.
“We are reopening while awaiting the completion of the administrative paperwork and final tender awards for the theatre renovations by the Ministry of Works and Transport,” Amagulu said.
The eventual return to the renovated facilities is intended to alleviate pressure on surgical theatres at Windhoek Central Hospital, which took on the theatre workload of the intermediate hospital.
Amagulu noted that renovations have been completed in wards 2A and 2B over the past 10 months, with minor work remaining in the medical ICU. “The head injury unit and theatre complex are yet to be renovated,” she added.
She referred questions regarding the delays to the Ministry of Works and Transport.
‘LOOKING FOR CONSULTANTS’
Ferdinand Ganaseb, maintenance director at the Ministry of Works and Transport, said on Tuesday that delays at Katutura Intermediate Hospital are due to the process of hiring specialist staff to define the scope of work for theatre renovations.
“No work has been done in the theatres yet as this ministry is still in the process of appointing consultants to carry out documentation for the theatres, including the air conditioning,” Ganaseb said.
He explained: “Complete renovations cannot take place until the scope of work, which includes designs, drawings and documentation, is determined by specialist engineers, quantity surveyors and architects.”
Ganaseb said renovations to the acute care unit are complete, while work on the head injury unit is in progress and expected to be completed by 24 February.
“Servicing of air conditioning has been done except for theatres one and six which need replacement. This work is in progress,” he said.
However, the entire second floor, where surgeries are supposed to take place, lacks oxygen supply.
“Medical gas for the entire second floor still needs to be readvertised, as the previous contractor had internal organisational challenges and the award was cancelled,” he added.
Ganaseb said the ministry will appoint consultants within two weeks.
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