Elderly patient aggrieved by Swakop hospital service
Alleged Swakop hospital incident tests new health services charter
An alleged incident described in a reader's letter highlights her concerns about patient services and care at Swakopmund District Hospital.
A recent incident at the Swakopmund District Hospital has put the health ministry's newly launched customer service charter to the test, raising questions about whether the commitments outlined in the document are being effectively implemented.
A 73-year-old patient has raised concerns over long waiting times, cleanliness and alleged poor service treatment.
The elderly patient, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of further mistreatment, described her ordeal in a letter to Network Media Hub (NMH), alleging she waited hours at the hospital without receiving priority treatment, despite being a senior citizen.
“I had to sit for hours on a broken bench just to have my blood pressure measured,” she wrote. “After that, I waited again for a doctor, but was told he was busy operating. Eventually, I asked when I should come back and a nurse told me at 09:00 the next day.”
However, upon returning the following morning, the patient was allegedly turned away.
“A man in a white coat chased me out and told me to go to the clinic in Tamariskia,” she wrote. “He was bitterly arrogant," she added.
At the Tamariskia clinic, she claims she encountered another discouraging scene: “There were around a thousand people, many of them elderly like me, waiting in overcrowded conditions with broken benches and no proper seating.”
Despite the difficult experience, she acknowledged that she was eventually assisted by a “very kind doctor” who diagnosed her with severe knee erosion and referred her for X-rays.
Her X-ray results revealed that she required a knee replacement, but she was informed that the prosthetic would cost around N$45 000 – a sum she said she cannot afford.
“I am scared to have the surgery done at a state hospital after seeing the conditions in Swakopmund,” she added. “If it is so dirty here, how bad must Windhoek be?”
The recently launched customer service charter emphasises patient dignity, responsiveness and accountability, promising that all patients should be treated with respect and professionalism. The patient's letter, however, expressed frustration at what she perceives as bureaucratic obstacles and a lack of urgency in treating patients.
“If our leaders had to use these hospitals themselves, things would look very different,” the patient argued.
Urgency
In response, the Swakopmund District Hospital issued a statement defending its handling of the case, explaining that emergency care is strictly based on medical urgency rather than age.
“Triage (medical urgency) categorisation ensures that life-threatening cases are prioritised,” said the hospital’s senior medical officer Dr Manane Lushinge. “A 25-year-old with a stab wound would be seen before a 70-year-old with knee pain.”
Lushinge added that routine cleaning occurs twice daily and that the hospital does not currently have broken benches in its outpatient or emergency departments. However, he acknowledged that Tamariskia Clinic does have ageing furniture.
“Due to budget constraints, we are unable to replace them at this time, but we recognise the need,” he noted.
Regarding financial support for patients in need of surgery, he admitted that he is not aware of any existing initiatives to assist patients who cannot afford medical procedures.
Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula launched the customer service charter earlier this month, describing it as a pledge to improve service delivery across the country’s healthcare system.
“This charter is not just a document – it is our collective commitment to serve the Namibian people to the best of our ability,” the minister said at the time.
A 73-year-old patient has raised concerns over long waiting times, cleanliness and alleged poor service treatment.
The elderly patient, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of further mistreatment, described her ordeal in a letter to Network Media Hub (NMH), alleging she waited hours at the hospital without receiving priority treatment, despite being a senior citizen.
“I had to sit for hours on a broken bench just to have my blood pressure measured,” she wrote. “After that, I waited again for a doctor, but was told he was busy operating. Eventually, I asked when I should come back and a nurse told me at 09:00 the next day.”
However, upon returning the following morning, the patient was allegedly turned away.
“A man in a white coat chased me out and told me to go to the clinic in Tamariskia,” she wrote. “He was bitterly arrogant," she added.
At the Tamariskia clinic, she claims she encountered another discouraging scene: “There were around a thousand people, many of them elderly like me, waiting in overcrowded conditions with broken benches and no proper seating.”
Despite the difficult experience, she acknowledged that she was eventually assisted by a “very kind doctor” who diagnosed her with severe knee erosion and referred her for X-rays.
Her X-ray results revealed that she required a knee replacement, but she was informed that the prosthetic would cost around N$45 000 – a sum she said she cannot afford.
“I am scared to have the surgery done at a state hospital after seeing the conditions in Swakopmund,” she added. “If it is so dirty here, how bad must Windhoek be?”
The recently launched customer service charter emphasises patient dignity, responsiveness and accountability, promising that all patients should be treated with respect and professionalism. The patient's letter, however, expressed frustration at what she perceives as bureaucratic obstacles and a lack of urgency in treating patients.
“If our leaders had to use these hospitals themselves, things would look very different,” the patient argued.
Urgency
In response, the Swakopmund District Hospital issued a statement defending its handling of the case, explaining that emergency care is strictly based on medical urgency rather than age.
“Triage (medical urgency) categorisation ensures that life-threatening cases are prioritised,” said the hospital’s senior medical officer Dr Manane Lushinge. “A 25-year-old with a stab wound would be seen before a 70-year-old with knee pain.”
Lushinge added that routine cleaning occurs twice daily and that the hospital does not currently have broken benches in its outpatient or emergency departments. However, he acknowledged that Tamariskia Clinic does have ageing furniture.
“Due to budget constraints, we are unable to replace them at this time, but we recognise the need,” he noted.
Regarding financial support for patients in need of surgery, he admitted that he is not aware of any existing initiatives to assist patients who cannot afford medical procedures.
Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula launched the customer service charter earlier this month, describing it as a pledge to improve service delivery across the country’s healthcare system.
“This charter is not just a document – it is our collective commitment to serve the Namibian people to the best of our ability,” the minister said at the time.
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