Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Ministry of Health and Social Services is set to conduct mass evictions at its nurses’ homes in Windhoek, citing these units are uninhabitable for humans.
Hundreds of people living at the nurses’ homes at the Windhoek Central and Katutura Intermediate hospitals will soon find themselves homeless if an eviction plan is implemented.
The purge was yesterday confirmed by the executive director of health and social services, Ben Nangombe.
“We are fully aware of the problem and have already engaged the relevant stakeholders. The units are not fit for human habitation, and we are looking at evacuating all the people who are in there before we can explore ways through which the structures can be renovated,” he said.
Nangombe, however, stressed that there are financial limitations to the execution of this process.
He said the evictions are expected to take place in the thrid quarter of the year.
“It is now a question of funds. We are looking at different avenues and even exploring the possibility of public-private partnerships (PPPs),” he said.
Former health and social services minister Bernard Haufiku, in a recent Desert Radio interview, blasted the ministry for having a lacklustre attitude towards a situation with serious bearing on nurses’ lives.
The nurses’ homes, especially those at Windhoek Central Hospital, are inhabited by people who have absolutely no connection to the ministry, he said.
“You have taxi drivers, students from tertiary institutions and random families living in these units to the detriment of the medical staff, some of whom are now forced to rent in other people’s backyards.
“I saw this in 2017 when I visited the place, and nothing has been done to date,” Haufiku said.
The former minister does not agree with giving nurses’ home inhabitants alternative accommodation.
“In the first place, these are illegal tenants who have no legal grounds to stay in places designated for government professionals. I also understand that there are some people who are renting and paying rent to other individuals, which is unacceptable,” he said.
“The buildings belong to the ministry, and cannot be left to be inhabited by squatters,” he said.
Nangombe corroborated the stance that the buildings are largely occupied by more squatters than nurses and ministerial staff, which is further propelling the ministry to expedite evacuations and subsequent renovations.
“It is also for their own safety,” he said.
He, however, pointed out that one unit at Katutura Intermediate Hospital has already been successfully renovated and is occupied by medical staff.
Ministry of Works and Transport spokesperson Julius Ngweda has distanced his ministry from the squalor.
“We are responsible for all other government buildings except for those nurses’ homes. The maintenance and management of these flats fall under the health ministry,” he says.
Meanwhile, finance minister Ipumbu Shiimi allocated N$9,7 billion to the vote on health and social services for the 2023/24 financial year. Within that allocation, according to Shiimi, more than N$700 million has been made available to the ministry for investments in and renovations of health facilities, as well as recruitment of medical personnel, the acquisition of pharmaceuticals and ambulances.
The finance minister further revealed that during the year, the ministry would also develop the universal health coverage policy framework to ensure that Namibians receive financial risk protection and improved access to quality health care services.
However, there was no mention of the renovation of the nursing quarters.
A resident at Windhoek Central Hospital nurses home The Namibian spoke to appeared to be oblivious to the looming evictions. Asked when last the nurses’ quarters were renovated, the veteran nurse, whose name cannot be mentioned, maintained that, according to her knowledge, the authorities were awaiting the tabling of the budget after which the supposed renovations were to commence.
“There have been such talks (about renovations), but they have since been put on ice pending the tabling of the budget this year. It will possibly happen now that the budget has been read,” the resident said.
She further concurred that the units had deteriorated, with leaking pipes, broken elevators and malfunctioning electrical wiring on some floors.
She also confirmed that there are many residents within the quarters who are not employed by the ministry, but was quick to blame this on the lack of housing and land provision in Windhoek.
“People are homeless, what can they do?” she remarked.
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