Covid-19: We wasted time, Haufiku says

STAFF REPORTER



WINDHOEK

Former health minister Dr Bernard Haufiku, who was relieved of his duties as Special Advisor to the Namibian Presidency on health matters last August, yesterday spoke to Namibian Sun – upon inquiry – about the Covid-19 situation in the country. Here is his response:

“I am still firmly of the view that it was within our hands and reach as a country to avoid - or at least better mitigate - the current coronavirus situation in Namibia.

The virus gave us enough space and time to prepare our response effectively, but we didn't do enough to control it.

For more than 72 days, Namibia only had two or three cases of coronavirus infection – one Namibian and two Romanians.

By all accounts, we had no community transmission nearly for a period of five months. This was the perfect time to lock down the country and prepare all 14 regions for the possible worst-case scenario, but we ended up prepared for the best-case scenario.

Then, typical of Namibians, we went on to wage political warfare on each other, accusing each other of things and ignoring advice and best practices.

The Erongo Region, specifically Walvis Bay, was among the first to propose and prepare for a Covid quarantine and isolation centre. This was ignored, apparently because it was initiated and led by political opposition in Erongo.

A solid and practical proposal was made to health authorities for some members of the national response team to visit all 14 regions within the shortest possible time and prepare all regions for the worst-case scenario like what we have now.

Starting with quarantine facilities isolation and treatment units, including a proportionate number of ICU beds, ventilators and related equipment and tools.

Here in Windhoek, the case of Rhino Garment Factory is still fresh in my mind.

Let it now be acknowledged and accepted that a huge mistake was made by not pushing for the refurbishment of Rhino Garment Factory to become our Covid isolation and treatment centre.

These are hard and costly lessons for us as we are now losing lives because of things such as lack of beds and oxygen supply in many isolation units here in Windhoek - both in public and private hospitals.

We are hearing and seeing cases of Covid patients crossing corridors with patients who are in hospital because of non Covid-related conditions due to lack of space.

I have seen with my own eyes at one of the hospitals here in Windhoek where donning by nurses and doctors is done in the same room, again because of lack of space.

This wouldn’t have happened had we put robust and adequate structures, processes and protocols in place while we had a window of opportunity to stem the viral tide.

We did not do this, or we did things half-heartedly, hence the current calamity which we can only play down or deny but we simply cannot wish away.

Our lacklustre, non-cohesive response as well as structural division between public and private Covid facilities provided some space for the pandemic to surge and it did so with a vengeance.

The virus - a mixture of wild type and mutant strains - is now mounting an onslaught on us as it is currently evident.

Adding to our inadequate, lacklustre response is the attitude and behaviour of members of the public.

Hardly any visible social distancing [is adhered to]. People are seen wearing their face masks just below their noses, mass parties are taking place as if they are welcoming the third wave.

Funerals, weddings, shebeens and other places of alcohol consumption; school kids and university students doing as they wish, even engaging in so-called ‘after tears’ parties after funerals, which I’ve never heard before.

All of these things put Namibia in its current situation, which could get worse if we do not act now in unison.

Way forward

· Close all schools for at least a month or two, depending on how the pandemic behaves (which actually depends on our behaviour).

· Restrict gatherings to no more than 10 people (including weddings and funerals)

· All alcoholic outlets (including shebeens) should close at 18:00.

· Compulsory and correct wearing of face masks in public places should be reinforced and possible punitive measures should be considered.

· Only a driver and two other passengers should be allowed in a ‘Dankie Botswana’ sedan and a driver plus three passengers in a seven-seater. Two rows and two seats between passengers in all buses.

· Let us reconsider Rhino Garment Factory on a basis of true partnership between public and private sectors, development partners and the community at large.

· Do away with seven-day Covid test certificate validity and revert to 72-hour validity as is the case in many jurisdictions.

· Better test coordination between the public and private sector and attempts should be made to close the gaps with regards to faking negative results.

· Lastly, we must support and strengthen our research, even just starting with clinical cohorts, so that we can generate our own data locally on the pandemic’s behaviour rather than always relying on external data. A clinical cohort on Ivermectin could be a good start.”