Rural areas struggle to attract health staff
Vacant positions for nurses, pharmacists and medical officers throughout the country have not been filled for months now due to a lack of qualified health workers willing to work in remote areas.
In statistics revealed to Namibian Sun, the USAID HIV Clinical Services Technical Assistance Project (UTAP) indicated that fewer than 200 health workers have been employed in eight districts in the Oshikoto, Kavango East and Omusati regions.
According to Dr Johnface Mdala, a specialised family physician and advisor for IntraHealth International, Namibia experiences a lack of healthcare personnel.
“Although our different universities produce thousands of nurses every year, it is very difficult to recruit them to work in remote areas. This creates a lack in efficient service delivery and causes a burden on the few health workers who are employed at a health facility,” he said.
There is a shortage of around 400 doctors too.
“We also have a gap of about 2 000 nurses nationwide and nurses are the primary healthcare workers.”
Mdala said the high number of patients exerts pressure on staff at health facilities, which compromises the quality of the services provided. The effect of a high patient-nurse ratio has negative outcomes, including long waiting hours for the patients and overworking of the staff.
“One always has to keep in mind that nurses are also human beings and they also need to go for their breaks, but you cannot sit down for lunch for an hour when patients are coming in seeking immediate health attention,” he explained.
IntraHealth International, an implementing partner of USAID, last year advertised positions for 120 nurses in eight districts but fell far short of that number.
“We learned that there are no people available and after consulting the regional directors, we learned there are not enough health workers. The employment opportunities are there, but no qualified people,” Mdala said.
He added that IntraHealth International was left with no choice but to work together with hospitals in the different districts to request retired nurses to come on board again.
“We had to visit some of these nurses personally to convince them to come back to work. After conducting medical check-ups, some of them decided to return to work and they are the ones steering the ship now.”
Paulina Hango, 67, is one of the retired nurses who volunteered to return to work in her community. She retired in 2009, but says she feels fit and healthy enough to return to work.
“I care about my nation and I can see the need for nurses. I love my job and I want to continue to serve my community,” said Hango in response to why she decided to return to work after so many years.
The director of health for the Kavango East and West regions, Timea Ngwira, said that most young people do not want to live in rural areas.
TUNOHOLE MUNGOBA
In statistics revealed to Namibian Sun, the USAID HIV Clinical Services Technical Assistance Project (UTAP) indicated that fewer than 200 health workers have been employed in eight districts in the Oshikoto, Kavango East and Omusati regions.
According to Dr Johnface Mdala, a specialised family physician and advisor for IntraHealth International, Namibia experiences a lack of healthcare personnel.
“Although our different universities produce thousands of nurses every year, it is very difficult to recruit them to work in remote areas. This creates a lack in efficient service delivery and causes a burden on the few health workers who are employed at a health facility,” he said.
There is a shortage of around 400 doctors too.
“We also have a gap of about 2 000 nurses nationwide and nurses are the primary healthcare workers.”
Mdala said the high number of patients exerts pressure on staff at health facilities, which compromises the quality of the services provided. The effect of a high patient-nurse ratio has negative outcomes, including long waiting hours for the patients and overworking of the staff.
“One always has to keep in mind that nurses are also human beings and they also need to go for their breaks, but you cannot sit down for lunch for an hour when patients are coming in seeking immediate health attention,” he explained.
IntraHealth International, an implementing partner of USAID, last year advertised positions for 120 nurses in eight districts but fell far short of that number.
“We learned that there are no people available and after consulting the regional directors, we learned there are not enough health workers. The employment opportunities are there, but no qualified people,” Mdala said.
He added that IntraHealth International was left with no choice but to work together with hospitals in the different districts to request retired nurses to come on board again.
“We had to visit some of these nurses personally to convince them to come back to work. After conducting medical check-ups, some of them decided to return to work and they are the ones steering the ship now.”
Paulina Hango, 67, is one of the retired nurses who volunteered to return to work in her community. She retired in 2009, but says she feels fit and healthy enough to return to work.
“I care about my nation and I can see the need for nurses. I love my job and I want to continue to serve my community,” said Hango in response to why she decided to return to work after so many years.
The director of health for the Kavango East and West regions, Timea Ngwira, said that most young people do not want to live in rural areas.
TUNOHOLE MUNGOBA
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