EENHANA – The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Richard Kamwi, last week inspected the ongoing construction of the Omuhongo clinic in the Epembe constituency of the Ohangwena Region.
The Omuhongo clinic will provide primary health care for the constituency, which is located some 160 kilometres from Eenhana, which is the main centre in the region. Kamwi, who was accompanied by the Ohangwena Regional Governor, Usko Nghaamwa, expressed satisfaction with the construction that is nearing completion. “Since l last visited this remote place some five years ago for the ground-breaking ceremony, l am so happy to tell you that this constituency is now reaping the fruits of Namibian independence. We have promised to provide you with the state-of-the-art primary health care facility on your doorstep,” Kamwi said.
The minister advised health staff in the region to visit the Omuhongo clinic once per week to monitor the progress and ensure that the contractors adhere to the agreed architectural plans. “As a community, you are used to travelling more than 160 km to Eenhana and Okongo to seek health services, but once this clinic is completed this year, our President Hifikepunye Pohamba will come to officially hand it over to you. We need to see our mothers delivering babies here apart from other facilities to be provided to your community,” Kamwi said. He also informed the community that the government is in the process of establishing health training centres at Otjiwarongo and Keetmanshoop to train registered nurses towards a three-year diploma as from next year.
“We have a huge shortage of registered nurses in Namibia,” he said. The health training centre is expected to produce 270 registered nurses every year. Namibia has a shortage of registered nurses and is currently employing nurses seconded from friendly African nations. “We shall continue to recruit from friendly countries, while we will be training our own. So far we have managed to produce our first ever cardiologist who hails from this region. Our cardiac unit in Windhoek is manned by expatriates and it is high time that we have our own sons and daughters doing this job,” said Kamwi.
The ministry of health has sent 270 students to study medicine in Cuba and Russia this year alone. “We are also in the process of sending another 90 students to the Ukraine and another 60 to Belorussia,” he said. Kamwi expressed concern over the condition of the road leading to the Omuhongo clinic. The road is sandy and is only accessible with four-wheel drive vehicles. “I have seen it myself. The road is indeed in a bad state. I can assure you that we will go and present your case to the Ministry of Works and Transport, because we have plans to donate an ambulance for your clinic,” he promised.
By Clemence Tashaya