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namib times SERVING THE COASTAL COMMUNITY SINCE 1958 NO 6721 FRIDAY 26 JANUARY 2018 Tel: +264 64 - 205854 / +264 64 - 461866 /Fax: +264 64 - 204813 / 064 - 461824 / Website: www.namibtimes.net
First export of salt to USA
First 50 000 tons done and dusted!
Walvis Bay Salt Refiners celebrated its first export of 50 000 tons of bulk salt to the United States of America during a quay side function on Monday night in the port of Walvis Bay. The salt was loaded by conveyer belt aboard the bulk carrier Condor and on the picture a grabber is seen spreading the salt evenly in the ship’s hull to maintain the vessel’s stability under the heavy load. More pics on page 2
N$250 upfront fee to make a call for a doctor to see you after hours at Cottage Sharlien Tjambari It doesn't matter what medical emergency you are in or what medical aid plan you belong to. You know have to fork out an upfront N$250 in cash after hours at the Medi-Clinic Cottage Hospital in Swakopmund to call a doctor to attend to you. This socalled “co-payment tariff” is already in force since 1 December last year and has many people furious. namib times has need to pay N$250 in pened to me if I had no cash on me? They been inundated cash, up-front. with calls of people “I went to the hospital refused to help me complaining about just after New Year's unless I pay the this new tariff. Eve because I re- N$250”, an angered Claims are the quired urgent me- lady told namib times general public and dical attention. When this week. medical aid service I got to the hospital I What disappoints her p r o v i d e r s w e r e was told by the nurse most is she has a never notified in on duty that I had to medical aid. “I aladvance. Only once pay N$250 before ready pay so much for patients arrive at they can call the doc- a medical aid. Now I the hospital, are tor on duty. What have to pay another they informed they would have hap- N$250 on top of that
every time I have an emergency and need to go to the hospital? What am I paying for? Is this some type of money making scheme?” she fumed. Another lady who contacted the newspaper said she luckily called the hospital in advance. “I called to find out if I could come in to get an injection against pain, as I had a terrible migraine. The nurse informed me about the co-payment of N$250, otherwise
they could not call the doctor to come in and attend to the matter. “I found it very strange”, said the frustrated lady. In yet another incident a mother explained to namib times she recently took her four months old baby to the Cottage Hospital at around 04:00 in the morning. The baby had high fever and was vomiting. When she got to the hospital, the nurse on duty told her the same story. “What would happen
if a person has a serious emergency, like being stabbed with a knife? Will they refuse to treat the patient or send the injured person to the state hospital?”. According to her many people are not aware of this new fee and it most certainly caught people unawares. “When I asked when this tariff was introduced, I was shown a notice on the counter. That's all, nothing else”, said Continues on page 2
inside Dr. Pieter vd Westhuizen back in court
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Mr44 upgrades reach B2
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Queen Mary 2 calls at Walvis Page 7
Walvis Bay parkrun
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