OMARURU – The Omaruru District Hospital has received a significant boost to its healthcare services, with a donation of a fully-equipped ambulance. This comes as a relief for the community, which has faced the dire challenge of transporting critically-ill patients, including women in labour, in the backs of pick-ups due to the lack of an ambulance.
The new vehicle was officially handed over at a ceremony attended by community leaders, healthcare personnel and representatives from the private sector last week.
“This ambulance is a game-changer for our hospital and community,” said Dr Beata Ashipala.
“We’ve struggled for years with an ageing fleet, often unable to meet the needs of our patients. Now, we can ensure faster, safer transport for emergency cases, particularly those from remote clinics.”
Omaruru’s healthcare system serves almost 23 000 people, while at the same time supporting services to Uis and Omatjete villages.
Despite these efforts, she said resource limitations pose significant challenges. “Many of our vehicles are ageing and often out of service, which compromises our ability to provide reliable emergency transportation. This has been particularly troubling for remote areas where the poor road conditions accelerate wear and tear.”
Ashipala said the hospital treated over 10 400 patients between January and October, referred 106 cases to larger facilities and responded to 79 motor-vehicle accidents.
“Hence, we cannot overstate the importance of efficient and fully-equipped ambulances in saving lives. Fast transportation during emergencies makes the difference between life and death.” Johan Roux, managing director of Langer Heinrich Uranium mine, highlighted his organisation’s commitment to corporate social responsibility.
“We are honoured to support Omaruru District Hospital by providing this off-road ambulance. It represents our dedication to improving the well-being of the communities we operate in. Healthcare access is a fundamental right, and we hope this vehicle brings hope and saves lives,” he said. Erongo governor Neville Andre, on his part, applauded Langer Heinrich for assisting the community.
At the same time, he called for further collaboration between stakeholders to address the region’s healthcare and infrastructure challenges.