A cleaner in the Kavango West region is suing the Ministry of Health and Social Services after he reportedly suffered an electrical shock while on duty.
According to High Court documents, Alfons Hausiku (32) was electrocuted at the Nankudu District Hospital in March this year.
The incident occured while Hausiku was assisting in offloading fuel from a truck.
“The plaintiff, while assisting in offloading fuel from the truck, was electrocuted or suffered an electrical shock when the dipping stick he was using to measure the liters of fuel in the truck came in contact with live electrical wires that are part of and run through Nankudu District Hospital,” Hausiku says in his particulars of claim.
He says as a result of the electrocution, he sustained electrical burns on his head, chest, right arm, neck, right thigh and foot, and was hospitalised from 15 March to 5 May.
He claims the general damages for the pain and suffering caused by the incident amount to N$ 300 000.
According to him, the ministry or its employees owed him a duty of care to reasonably inspect, repair and properly safeguard electrical wires at the hospital. He says the hospital owes him a safe working environment.
Hausiku alleges in court documents that the ministry or its employees at the hospital failed to provide him with adequate personal protective clothing and equipment.
“They failed to properly ensure that electricity wires were not hanging in the ground, they failed to provide a safe working environment, they failed to provide adequate personal protective clothing and equipment in carrying out the tasks assigned to me,” he says.
He also alleges that the ministry failed to provide the necessary information and training to him to work safely and without risk to his health and bodily integrity.
Nankudu District Hospital senior medical officer Dr Glennson Haihambo says Hausiku climbed on a Namcor tanker that had brought diesel for a generator at the hospital.
“I don’t know how he got to the tank and who gave him instructions to climb there. While on the tank, he hit his head on the live electric wire and he fell down. Within 10 minutes, he was brought into the casualty. I spent three hours reviving him,” he says.
Haihambo says he treated Hausiku, and when he was revived, he was referred to the acute care at Rundu Intermediate Hospital where he was hospitalised for two months.
He also says there is no medical negligence from the hospital as he hit his head on electric wires above the ground.
Haihambo says he was not aware that Hausiku is suing the ministry.
Human resources manager at the hospital Vicky Kandjeke refused to comment on the matter yesterday, while regional health director Fransiska Hamutenya referred The Namibian to Haihambo.
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