The government has made available N$40 million for the renovation of Katutura Intermediate Hospital.
The hospital, which was built in 1973 during the apartheid era has experienced years of dilapidation.
Holes in the roof, damaged walls, windows and floor skirtings, as well as peeling floor tiles and blocked toilet pots are the order of the day.
Yesterday, the works ministry’s executive director Esther Kaapanda during a media briefing said the government has made N$40 million available to the Ministry of Works and Transport for the renovations at the hospital.
She said the ministry has appointed several Namibian contractors, many of whom have already started renovating, beginning with the seventh floor.
“However, the process is not without challenges, considering it involves a large hospital where patients are referred from all regions,” she said.
Kaapanda said they are currently facing numerous challenges and are working to overcome them.
Poor workmanship
In October 2023, the local daily The Namibian reported on hospital head Nelago Amagulu expressing her disappointment with the tender entrepreneurs who do not do their jobs according to hospital specifications.
“As much as we want to empower Namibians, we must ensure that the technical capabilities are there first, and that is really important,” she said at the time.
Last year, the ministry of health revealed that it needed N$16 billion to resuscitate the crippling public health sector. This saw Cabinet in August 2023 approving additional funding for critical activities and interventions for health systems for the next five financial years.
Roads and infrastructure
Also speaking at the media briefing, works and transport minister John Mutorwa, said the government is working tirelessly to ensure that all the infrastructure and roads are up to standard.
He stressed that by the end of the year, all roads should be completed to align with President Hage Geingob’s vision of the “Year of Expectation”.
Mutorwa stated that the ministry has settled its bills and now needs to expedite the construction of roads, railways, and airlines.
“Considering roads as a waste of money is naive. In Namibia, we connect people, and the infrastructure we have deserves to connect Namibia. Roads are not a waste; they contribute to development,” said Mutorwa.
He said the Impalila Island in the Zambezi region needs development to attract more tourists and also highlighted the urgency of constructing the Nakabolelwa road.
TransNamib, according to Mutorwa, deserves increased funding.
“If money were as abundant as sand, all roads would have been completed by now,” he remarked.
Mutorwa urged industry seniors to mentor young engineers and stressed the importance of working hard on the Trans-Kalahari railway.
He anticipates the completion of the tendering and all necessary processes by the end of the year, marking it as the year of implementation for all pending projects.
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