Hertta-Maria Amutenja
A nurse at the Sibinda Health Centre in the Zambezi region has disclosed that the health institution has been suffering from acute water shortages for over a year.
The nurse, known only as Steven, told the National Council Standing Committee on Health, Social Welfare, and Labour Affairs that a lack of water is impeding their efforts to provide public services.
The clinic’s struggles to deliver effective healthcare services without access to water, according to the nurse, have resulted in substantial challenges for both patients and healthcare personnel.
“The main challenge we face is a lack of water. The clinic has been working without water. We are having difficulties with individuals who come to deliver; most of them must be referred to Katima Mulilo Hospital because we cannot deliver without water,” he explained.
According to the nurse, the situation at the health facility is worsened by the fact that it does not have cleaners.
He highlighted that the duty falls on the nurses, who, in addition to their other duties, are in charge of cleaning the institution.
“Members of the community may offer support on occasion, although this is not always the case. We need professional cleaners who will keep the clinic running properly,” he said.
Furthermore, Steven emphasised that the most serious issue is a lack of suitable mobility.
“With only one ambulance serving the cluster’s seven clinics, the situation becomes untenable. Another issue is that there is only one ambulance that serves seven clinics in this cluster, which is a major challenge. It occasionally breaks down, and there is no ambulance to transport the sick to the hospital. It’s also the only mode of transportation we utilize to get around town,” Steven explained.
Despite these difficulties, the facility’s four nurses have managed to keep the communities supplied with medical and clinical essentials on a constant basis.
He stated that while there have been some issues with antibiotics, the suppliers have vowed to remedy the matter as soon as possible.
When asked for comment on Sunday, Health Ministry Executive Director, Ben Nagombo acknowledged the gravity of the situation.
He also noted the presence of regional directors in charge of health facilities has not added in resolving issues faced by health institutions in the regions and pointed out that arrangements might be made for the main office to handle the health centre issues.
“We have a regional director who are in charge of the health facilities in the regions, but special arrangements can be made. We also need to determine whether it was a breakdown of infrastructure or a suspension of services,” he said.
