| Hospital renovations best way of ridiculing Kamwi |
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| Written by Staff Reporters | |
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Dear Sir
I read your column regarding the upgrading of the state hospitals with great interest and cannot agree more. Please allow me space to add some of my opinion.
If Katutura State Hospital is a place where you go to
die, then I think the Minister, who is ultimately responsible for this
chaotic situation, should be forcibly admitted into this hospital when
he falls ill so that he can feel the pain resulting from his
mismanagement or perhaps total lack of management.
The reason for the shameful state, which these institutions turned into, was a total lack of maintenance that came about as a result of mismanagement with no risk attached. If the hospital staff managed to steal the bedding, towels and goodness knows what else, why did the security guards not cotton on to this or were they part of the plundering party? Why was the loss of these items not picked up at stock takes or did it not take place? The fact that Namibia Breweries eventually undertook to fix the hospitals is in fact a crying shame and a huge accusation against government and the ministry. It is money that could have been applied far more productively in other areas of need that did not originate from neglect. The mere fact that private hospitals, as well as other private businesses providing e.g. security, emergency medical assistance, private schools and even the City Police are doing good business in Namibia, is a long finger pointing accusingly at the relevant ministries who simply do not do their work and get away with it. The private sector seems to be taking over some government functions without the particular ministries getting any smaller. The quick fix solution to this immensely expensive problem is to simply fully maintain whatever infrastructure there is. If government does not know how to maintain the infrastructure it can be sourced out to the private sector, which would not be a problem at all. The second component of the quick fix is to hold the ministers of the relevant ministries responsible/accountable. The long-term solution is extremely important for the future of our country and is one of education. Our children need and deserve a far higher standard of education than what they are currently receiving in state schools to become knowledgeable, successful and responsible managers of every aspect of the running of our country in the future. Our children need a world-class education with world-class equipment that should be maintained by a minister who is at risk if he/she does not provide a world-class service to protect whatever was put at his/her disposal on behalf of the children and the people of Namibia. The alternative is too ghastly to contemplate. Worried Windhoek. |
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