‘They ignored my pain’

Former nurse says hospital could have prevented permanent injuries

Former nurse Hileni Indongo (38) has accused Katutura Intermediate Hospital of failing to provide timely treatment after a car accident, leaving her with permanent injuries.

Indongo recounted the events after a crash between Okahandja and Windhoek on 13 October 2022, saying the prolonged wait for treatment resulted in permanent damage.

She said as a result, she has been left with permanent injuries to her cervical spine and constant severe headaches and neck pain.

She recalled the day she arrived at the hospital in Katutura.

“I spent almost an hour without anyone assisting me, even though the pain had become worse,” she said.

Indongo said she was initially treated at Okahandja District Hospital and was discharged before developing severe headaches, neck pain and muscle spasms while travelling to Windhoek.

She said the attending doctor referred her to Katutura Intermediate Hospital with a written report requesting further assessment.

According to Indongo, a nurse informed her that because she had already been attended to at Okahandja, she should continue taking her medication without receiving further treatment.

“I explained that the pain I was experiencing was not the same anymore. If I was fine, I would have gone home,” she said.

She said despite repeatedly asking for help, she remained unattended to for nearly three hours before being told that a doctor had refused to see her.

“I never even saw the doctor. I only heard from the nurse that the doctor said he was not going to see me because I had already been seen,” she said.

Indongo said security officers were later instructed to remove her from the ward after staff accused her of making too much noise because of the pain.

“My family found me crying at around midnight. They were told I could go home because I had already been seen,” she said.

Her relatives instead arranged for her to be transported by private ambulance to Lady Pohamba Private Hospital after she reportedly suffered seizures.

She said doctors at Lady Pohamba detected injuries on her cervical spine and later performed surgery from the C1 to C7 vertebrae, while also removing a cyst that had accumulated on her brain.

“I spent almost two months in hospital. Today I still suffer severe headaches and neck pain, and I depend on expensive medication,” she said.

Indongo also claimed healthcare workers repeatedly referred her for psychiatric treatment instead of investigating the source of her pain.

“They kept saying I was psychiatric because I was screaming, but I was screaming because of the pain,” she said.

She said she spent about N$30 000 on private scans after public health facilities allegedly failed to diagnose her condition.

The injuries have since affected her studies and mobility.

“I cannot apply pressure on my body, I use crutches and I still have no proper sensation in both legs.

I just want assistance because this has become life-threatening,” she said.

Ministry of Health and Social Services spokesperson Walters Kamaya says Indongo’s complaint is being investigated in accordance with the ministry’s complaints management procedures.

The investigation includes a review of her medical records, the treatment provided and input from the healthcare professionals involved to establish whether the care was consistent with ministry policies and clinical standards.

Kamaya says he could not comment on Indongo’s allegation that she was repeatedly referred for psychiatric assessment instead of receiving neurological care, saying it would be premature to do so while the investigation is ongoing.

File photo ‘IF ONLY’? … Former nurse Hileni Indongo says permanent injuries she sustained during an accident could have been minimised if staff at the Katutura Intermediate Hospital had attended to her on time.

He says referrals to specialist services are based on a patient’s clinical presentation, examination findings, medical history and the treating team’s professional judgement.

Walters says patients referred from public health facilities should be properly assessed, documented and have relevant clinical information communicated to the receiving facility to ensure continuity of care.

Should the investigation establish negligence or professional misconduct, the spokesperson says appropriate disciplinary or corrective action will be taken, which may include additional training, strengthened supervision or referral to professional regulatory bodies.

He says patients with long-term health complications can access appropriate public healthcare services, including treatment, rehabilitation and counselling, based on their clinical needs.