The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) has condemned the actions of health workers at the Ndama Clinic in Rundu after a grade one learner was reportedly refused medical treatment because they did not bring a piece of paper to serve as a temporary health passport.
According to the ministry’s statement released on Friday, 31 October, the incident occurred when a teacher accompanied the learner to the clinic for treatment, only to be told to return to the school and fetch paper since the clinic had run out.
The ministry explained that the clinic’s initial allocation of 30 health passports had been depleted at the time of the incident. However, the staff failed to make use of blank paper endorsed with the clinic’s official stamp, which could have been used in such cases.
“The clinic failed to apply the standard practice of using stamped blank paper when health passports are unavailable,” the statement noted.
In response, the ministry has since supplied the Ndama Clinic with 200 new health passports and a ream of paper to prevent similar occurrences. Additionally, a comprehensive staff accountability assessment is currently underway to determine whether negligence or misconduct occurred. The ministry emphasized that disciplinary measures will follow if any employee is found to have violated established protocols.
The learner who was initially turned away has since received the required medical care.
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all citizens, especially children, have access to healthcare services without unnecessary administrative barriers.
