Africa-Press – Namibia. SEVERAL patients at a Rundu private hospital went without food for days after hospital staff refused to allow visitors to bring food to their relatives who are hospitalised.
The hospital has since apologised to the patients. Kertu Kanonda, a breastfeeding mother of a five-month-old baby, told The Namibian over the weekend that she could not take the food offered by the hospital as it did not appeal to her. She added that, as a result, she was unable to breastfeed her child because she was too weak and her body was not producing enough milk.
“When my sisters brought food on Friday, they were told by the security guard and the receptionist that the hospital policy prohibits food from outside,” she said. Lukas Ndara was also prohibited from taking food to his brother who has been in the hospital for over a week.
“The only thing he is eating is breakfast, because at least there is bread. They are giving him vegetables and other food that he is not used to. They must at least allow us to bring him pap sometimes. He is even losing weight because of that food,” said Ndara.
The Namibian established that the rule only applied to Rundu Private Hospital, as other private hospitals allow patients to receive food from outside.
Rundu Private Hospital yesterday issued an apology to the patients after staff members refused them food from outside. The hospital’s head of administration Karin van Rensburg, apologised saying the rule was instituted at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This was an unfortunate incident and we apologise. It was a rule but was repealed when visitors were allowed into the hospital. We have addressed it and visitors can bring food for their relatives. We advise visitor, to bring food that can be consumed immediately to avoid pests in the hospital,” she said. Van Rensburg added that all other normal hospital rules remain in place.
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