It was good news to the ears of the residents of Katutura in Windhoek when the Ministry of Health and Social Services announced the extension of the Katutura Health Centre's operating hours to 24 hours a day.

Residents had high expectations, and while service seemed to have improved, weekends remained a challenge as unattended patients queue up for hours.

Situated at the busy intersection of Independence Avenue and Clemence Kapuuo near the mall known as Black Chain, the Health Centre has been operating on a 24-hour basis since 2019.

But lack of staff at the facility remains a thorn in the flesh for those seeking medical attention.

Visuals taken at the health centre over the weekend tell the story.

Some patients say they have been waiting to be attended to by a doctor since 8 o'clock in the morning.

Little did they know, it was going to be a long day because ten hours later, some still have not been seen by a nurse or a doctor.

Nursing staff who spoke to the nbc News bemoan staff shortage, saying they simply cannot cope with the overwhelming number of patients who visits the centre.

Walter Kamaya, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Health and Social Services informed the nbc News, that the ministry is aware of the situation.

He says what happened over the weekend was not the norm, and that the facility normally gets busy on pay weekends and public holidays. 

Many nursing staff have retired and some migrated to the private sector and other towns, he attributes.

However, given the circumstances, Kamaya says the ministry is trying its best to employ additional staff but at the same time underlining financial constraints.