Patients claim that the Rundu State Hospital has run out of oxygen. The parent of one patient told Informanté that as from 18 May oxygen has not been available. “My son has asthma and I would normally take him to the Rundu State Hospital so that he can receive the treatment,” he says.

He says that his son was diagnosed with asthma five years ago and that 18 May was the first time that the hospital could not offer the treatment. He says that he went back to the hospital on Tuesday 22 May and the oxygen was still not available. “How can that be?” he wanted to know.
The Rundu resident claims that the doctor wrote his son a prescription for pills instead. “He has been using those pills, but I still don’t see any change in his condition.” He says that his son is like any normal young boy, but suffers with breathing problems when he does not receive the treatment. “I just want the oxygen to come, because I just want what is best for my son,” the distressed father told Informanté.
A health worker at the Rundu State Hospital suggested that any asthma patient can also use an asthma inhaler. “The inhaler helps to relax the muscles enabling the person to breathe normally, so I would advise the person to use it.” He however declined to reveal any information regarding whether the oxygen is available and claims that if a patient has any enquiries they should visit the hospital where everything would be explained to them.
The Chief Control Officer at Rundu State Hospital, John Kamonga, dismissed the allegations. “It is not true that the hospital has run out of oxygen. Who is spreading all these lies? Are these people trying to destroy our good reputation or what?” he shouted. He claims that there are new full oxygen cylinders stored away in case the current ones are depleted.
The father of the asthma patient however claims the Chief Control Officer is not aware of  what is happening at the hospital. “They don’t communicate with each other. When I was there previously the doctors did not know that there was no oxygen, a nurse had to inform them regarding the matter.” He took his son back last Thursday, 24 May, but his son received only more pills.
Last week it was reported that the hospital’s X-ray machine has been broken for more than three weeks. All the patients are instead referred to Windhoek for X-ray examinations.
In June 2011 the Ministry of Health and Social Services awarded a five-year contract to Intaka Technology Namibia for the supply and delivery of medical oxygen and air to 32 state hospitals across the country. Intaka Technology Namibia is jointly owned by Knowledge Katti and Uruguayan businessman, Gaston Savoi.
A critical report issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) last year on the supply of medical oxygen at State hospitals around the country found that Intaka Technology had failed to consistently deliver medical gas products at the specified and agreed upon quality. The contract issued to Intaka in June 2011 is worth an estimated N$55 million.