Ministry Investigates Service Disruption at Mariental District Hospital. The Ministry of Health and Social Services has launched an investigation following a service disruption at Mariental District Hospital in the Hardap Region on the night of 5 March 2025.
A video shared on social media at approximately 21:48 showed an unattended nursing station in the hospital’s male ward, while several patients waited without receiving care from health workers.
In response, the Regional Director was instructed to visit the hospital immediately to assess the situation and restore normal operations. Upon arrival, the Director met with the Senior Medical Officer on duty, who confirmed that the disruption was limited to the male ward. Other departments, including the female ward, casualty, paediatrics, and maternity, were not affected and continued to operate as normal.
Preliminary findings indicate the disruption occurred during the shift change, due to miscommunication between the day and night teams during the handover of responsibilities.
The Ministry has described the incident as unacceptable and not in line with its standards for managing public health facilities. A thorough investigation is underway, and disciplinary action will be taken if any staff members are found to have violated Public Service Staff Rules or the Code of Conduct.
The Ministry confirmed that no patients suffered physical harm as a result of the disruption. In a statement, officials expressed regret over the incident and extended an apology to the patients and families affected.