Ester Mbathera
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has made it clear that dietary needs determine meal sizes and the amount of food provided to patients when admitted to the various state hospitals in Namibia.
This comes after patients have raised concerns about the adequacy of food portions provided during their hospital stays, claiming that the amount of food is insufficient to meet their needs.
A patient shared a picture showing a plate of bread and liver for breakfast and a plate of bread and peas for dinner with the Windhoek Observer.
Ben Nangombe, the ministry’s executive director, explained that the food provided to patients is determined according to their dietary needs and is done taking into account their daily recommended calorie intake.
“The majority of patients consume an ordinary diet. There are some who are on special diets such as patients suffering from diabetes mellitus and other ailments or those who require a liquid diet,” he said.
He added that the patients receive breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day during their stay at a health facility.
Some patients may require meals at fewer intervals, depending on their treatment plans.
Nangombe further explained that there are stringent specifications established that catering service providers must comply with, ensuring both the quality and quantity of meals are up to standard.
“The Ministry does not tolerate any form of non-compliance, and any company or service provider that does not abide by or comply with the stated specifications will face sanctions. The Ministry will not hesitate to recommend to the Central Procurement Board the debarment of any defaulting company from taking place in procurement activities related to the provision of catering services to public entities,” he said.
On Tuesday, the Landless People’s Movement’s chief whip, Utaara Mootu notified the health minister, Dr Kalumbi Shangula of her intention to ask him about the food shortage in the Katutura Intermediate Hospital.
“Why did the ministry not take immediate action to terminate the contracts with failing catering companies and ensure all patients receive adequate and nutritional meals?” she intends to ask the health minister on Thursday.
Apart from the food question, Mootu’s notice also highlights the severe challenges faced by Katutura Intermediate Hospital.
This, she said, is despite the Ministry of Finance’s allocation of N$450 million in the development budget aimed at expanding primary healthcare centres and improving hospital capacities nationwide.
According to Mootu, the conditions at Katutura Intermediate Hospital remain alarming and unacceptable.
“More than 60 mothers and their babies are forced to sleep on the floor due to a shortage of beds, while another 50 patients are relegated to tents. The hospital is plagued by severe food shortages, frequent power cuts, and appalling unhygienic conditions,” she said.
