Africa-Press – Namibia.
Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) deputy leader Kalimbo Iipumbu has urged the Ministry of Health and Social Services to urgently address long queues and delays at public hospitals and clinics.
Speaking in the National Assembly last Thursday, Iipumbu expressed concern over reports that more than 1 000 patients were forced to wait up to eight hours at a Katutura clinic last week.
He said the long queues developed because only one doctor and a handful of nurses were available to attend to patients.
“We have it on good authority that extreme pressure on this doctor led to heated exchanges with frustrated patients. At one point, the doctor even threatened to stop attending to some of them while desperately trying to secure assistance from colleagues,” Iipumbu told the parliamentarians.
Two months ago, health minister Esperance Luvindao announced that 11 private-sector doctors had volunteered to provide services at public health facilities to ease congestion.
At the time, this publication reported the doctors would assist at the Katutura Health Centre between 17h00 and 23h00 daily as part of a decongestion strategy.
“The ministry is increasing the number of doctors on the night shift at the Katutura Health Centre from three to five to reduce patient waiting times. Demand for health services at the centre is highest between 19h00 and midnight, as all other clinics close by 19h00,” Luvindao said during the announcement.
However, Iipumbu argued that despite these efforts, delays and poor service delivery persist. He pressed the minister to disclose how many private doctors have since availed themselves to work in public facilities under the strategy, and what measurable progress has been made.
He further emphasised the need to fast-track service delivery for very sick patients and expectant mothers who often bear the brunt of long waiting times.
On 11 September 2025, Luvindao is expected to brief parliament on overall progress in public health facilities, covering infrastructure, equipment, staffing, and the general quality of service delivery since she assumed office.
According to Dr Arthur Mbukusa, a senior medical officer in the Khomas region, Windhoek has nine clinics, but only the Katutura Health Centre operates 24 hours a day. The centre serves the entire Katutura community, which has a population of around 140 000 people.
He said the facility receives at least 1 300 patients daily. Of the remaining clinics, only three operate from 08h00 to 19h00, while the rest close at 17h00.
Mbukusa added that doctors and nurses are distributed across the nine clinics, and with recent improvements, medical officers are now able to adequately cover night shifts.
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