Staff Reporter
THE presence of cats in northern hospitals – a public nuisance for years – continues unabated, with no solution in sight.
The problem is said to be most acute at the Onandjokwe District Hospital in the Oshikoto Region and the Oshakati Intermediate Hospital in the Oshana Region, although other facilities are also affected.
Hospital authorities have previously admitted their inability to contain the felines. Patients, who now co-exist with the animals, complain that they “make a lot of noise and keep stealing our food.”
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A pilot project launched three years ago to manage the population failed to improve the situation.
Beyond the nuisance, the cats pose health risks as known carriers of infections.
“Cats have been observed roaming in areas such as the wards, patient waiting areas, outpatient department, corridors, food service areas, and around the entrances of the hospital. Their presence in these areas may create hygiene and infection-control concerns, particularly because these facilities are used by sick and vulnerable patients,” said a complainant at Onandjokwe.
The Oshana SPCA has announced it will launch a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) campaign at the Oshakati hospital after receiving numerous complaints.
“We are hoping that through this campaign, we can help manage the population and prevent the situation from worsening,” the SPCA said.
The organisation will also extend the campaign to several high schools in Oshakati and Ongwediva. The initiative is sponsored by Indongo Toyota Ongwediva.
