Dr Selma Ranio

While we are preparing ourselves for the Christmas holiday, let me share with you a short story of the first medical doctor who arrived in the Namibia medical field at Oniipa on 14 December 1908. 

Here, she started treating patients and the local people regarded her as a ‘White traditional healer’ in the Oniipa community. 

She found the local people heavily dependent only on the traditional healers for healing services. 

In other words, this time, the Namibian people never had any information about modern medical science, which believed in natural diseases that are caused by bacteria and viruses. 

During this time, many Namibian people had only a strong belief in the supernatural world. 

For example, when a person falls sick, they believed he/she was bewitched, cursed by God or God is angry with them. 

At the same time, our people had also poor services for taking care of the sick people. 

But When Dr Selma Ranio (1873-1939), the first woman medical doctor, stepped into the Namibian medical field, she immediately started providing affordable and modern healing services to the local population. 

Her service boosted the morale and confidence of many local people to start believing in modern medical science. 

This attracted many local patients to start coming in large numbers to Oniipa Mission station, where Dr Rainio was stationed. 

It was Dr Rainio who proposed and motivated the proposal for Onandjokwe Hospital to be constructed immediately in Oniipa.

 With the skilled supervision of ‘Omuhongi’ Nestor Wananen, Onandjokwe Hospital was completed, and it opened its first doors to the public on 9 July 1911. 

Today, Onandjokwe Hospital is known as one of the oldest hospitals in Namibia – as it turned 111 years old on 9 July 2022.

 Therefore, I think is very important for the Namibian people to honour and remember 14 December as the day when the first medical doctor stepped into Namibia›s medical field. 

She is a true woman medical pioneer, who inspired many missionaries and Namibian women, who later volunteered in the Namibia’s medical field as nurses. 

She had proven that healing people was truly her passionate calling. The local person has given her a special nickname, ‘Gwanandjokwe’ because of her long service in Onandjokwe hospital. 

On 5 January 1938, she died and was buried with special respect among her patients in the Oniitewa old cemetery, behind Onandjokwe State Hospital. 

Currently, Dr Rainio is a popular name in Namibian society (especially in northern Namibia at large). 

Today, we also have a hospital named after her, Dr Selma Rainio Medical Centre, located in Onandjokwe Hospital. 

We should not forget remembering the significant role played by Dr Rainio and others in the Namibian society. We thank Onandjokwe Medical Museum for keeping the history of Onandjokwe and Dr Rainio alive. 

I hope this history inspires Namibia’s present and future generations to develop an interest in medical careers and serve the public with excellent service. 

If you would love to explore more about Dr Rainio’s history and legacy, you are welcome to visit Onandjokwe Medical Museum during working hours – 8h00 to 17h00 – from Monday to Friday.

* Kleopas Nghikefelwa is a Namibian museum activist. Email: kleopasn@gmail.com