OHANDJOMBALI – Councillor of the Omundaungilo Constituency in the Ohangwena Region, Festus Ikanda has warned community members against discriminating against community health workers who are assigned to the villages.
He made the call when he recently addressed a community meeting with villagers at Ohandjombali.
In the meeting community members alleged community health workers faces victimisation from the public because of alleged tribal disputes or political differences. Health workers undergo a six-month training to assist in communities that are far from the clinics.
According to the residents some community health workers are barred from practicing in some villages or homes because of alleged disputes either between the traditional authorities or because they belong to a different political party from that of their patients.
“Some people are forbidden to practice because they are a son or a daughter of a belittled person,” fumed a community member.
The councillor is busy conducting meetings in different villages in his constituency, appealing to the residents to unite and work together despite of where they come from or political affiliation.
Ikanda particularly stressed that such behavior is unacceptable as it hinders development within the constituency and the country at large.
“Allow the people to do the jobs they are assigned for, after all they are all Namibians,” said Ikanda.
Ikanda informed residents not to be discouraged and for them to see the work of the health community workers as an employment opportunity. He pleaded with the residents to refrain from promoting tribalism and to focus on developmental aspects such as national building.
“I want this to end. Don’t bring back the things that we were fighting against during the colonial era. Let the people work,” stated Ikanda.
Ikanda appealed to community members to continuously invite him to platforms of such nature so that he could address their needs.