Staff Reporter
COMMUNITY members from Otjiwarongo today marched to the Otjiwarongo State Hospital to hand over a petition demanding improved health care after the death of a 21-year-old man identified as Elijah Laurenzo Areseb, whom the family claims died due to medical negligence.
It is alleged that the late Areseb presented with flu symptoms as well as difficulty in breathing at the Otjiwarongo State Hospital on 31 January 2026, but was allegedly later discharged despite low oxygen levels in his body.
It is alleged that the deceased went back to the hospital on Monday, 2 February 2026, to do the requested TB screening test, and he received the negative results on Wednesday.
The family further alleges that Areseb returned once more on 5 February 2026 after experiencing difficulties with breathing again, and that he allegedly later succumbed due to not having been assisted urgently.
The family further claims that the medical personnel on duty that fateful day did not follow the Emergency Response Protocol for breathing difficulties/Emergency Protocol for Cardiac Emergencies and that the doctor on duty allegedly only tried to tend to him after he had already passed on.
In a petition handed over, the mother of the late Areseb, Emma Areses, demanded a thorough investigation and requested appropriate remedial action to ensure accountability and prevent future occurrences.
“I, the mother of late Elijah Laurenzo Areseb, on behalf of my family, the entire beloved Otjiwarongo community, and on behalf of the Namibian nation, today submit this petition in good faith, with the intention of seeking justice for my son Elijah Laurenzo Areseb. Our plea to the relevant authorities is not just for improved health care but a total turnaround in administration at our hospital. We plead for professionalism and efficiency in the conduct of health workers when attending to patients. We need enough medical supplies, which our hospital does not have, and various medicines we need but do not have, and they are vital for us. Our envisioned second hospital is just three minutes away from our house; if it was built and functional, my son would that day have received medical attention speedily,” Areses said.
She said that, equally, as a matter of urgency, the Minister of Health and Social Services is requested to prioritise the provision and administration of adequate medical facilities and health care at the Otjiwarongo State Hospital.
