Staff Reporter<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MARIENTAL State Hospital is relying on oxygen cylinders while repairs are carried out on its main oxygen plant, which has experienced intermittent problems since June, the Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Esperance Luvindao, told the National Assembly on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Luvindao said the hospital had experienced intermittent oxygen shortages since June 2026 following problems with its main oxygen plant, with a major repair process currently underway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She was responding to the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) honourable Lilani Brinkman, who asked about the current oxygen situation at the hospital and when the plant would be fully operational.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Luvindao, the oxygen plant experienced an explosion on 6 June, after which the supplier was called to address the problem and returned to the hospital on 9 June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, repeated maintenance requirements led to the Ministry seeking a longer-term solution after the plant continued experiencing operational problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Luvindao said a quotation for major servicing was issued in July, while a decision was taken on 30 July to pursue a longer-term solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The procurement committee considered the request on 7 August, with amendments made on 12 August and reflected in a service-level agreement (SLA) dated 21 August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said a new company was appointed to address the underlying problems with the oxygen plant rather than continue with temporary maintenance repairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The company initially indicated that major servicing would take place during the week of 14 September, and Luvindao said the repairs were currently ongoing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the meantime, the hospital has been relying heavily on oxygen cylinders, which have been supplied since 19 June and replenished according to demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Luvindao said oxygen cylinders were being procured as an interim measure to ensure continuity of supply while the main plant was being repaired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Patients requiring continuous oxygen during the acute phase of their condition are currently admitted to the isolation ward, where part of the respiratory unit is served by a smaller-capacity oxygen plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Luvindao also addressed reports that patients had died because of the oxygen shortage at the hospital, saying the claim remained unsubstantiated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She referred specifically to an incident on 9 September, saying a patient who arrived at the outpatient department was assessed by a registered nurse and received oxygen, nebulisation and hydrocortisone using oxygen cylinders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the medical notes, Luvindao said, the patient\u2019s death was not caused by a lack of oxygen but by another medical condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said the Ministry would continue using oxygen cylinders until repairs to the main oxygen plant were completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Photo: Parliament of the Republic of Namibia<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Staff Reporter MARIENTAL State Hospital is relying on oxygen cylinders while repairs are carried out on its main oxygen plant, which has experienced intermittent problems since June, the Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Esperance Luvindao, told the National Assembly on Thursday. Luvindao said the hospital had experienced intermittent oxygen shortages since June 2026 …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":400949,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-400948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n