Sawi Hausiku 

MUVEVE – Muveve Clinic, located near Nkurenkuru in the Kavango West’s Musese constituency, will soon benefit from a newly constructed ablution facility, addressing long-standing sanitation challenges.

Currently, the clinic, situated 65 kilometres east of Nkurenkuru, has only one dilapidated toilet in the waiting area for both male and female patients, staff as well as visitors.

It is not accessible to people with disabilities.

Chief medical officer of the Kavango West Health Directorate Beata Siteketa in a recent interview informed Nampa said the Namibia Ports Authority (Namport) is funding the construction of seven new toilets, valued at N$400 000, as part of its corporate social responsibility initiative.

“The current facility poses a serious health risk. It is unsanitary, overused and not suitable for human use. The new toilets will have separate sections for men and women, and include accessible units for people with disabilities,” Siteketa said.

Muveve Clinic serves a catchment population of 1 458 people, providing essential primary healthcare services, including antenatal and postnatal care, immunisations and chronic disease management.

Siteketa added that the official site handover is scheduled for August this year, emphasising that the improved sanitation infrastructure will help prevent infections and significantly improve the clinic environment.

Regular patient Bibiana Kasiku expressed relief at the news.
“Right now, we’re forced to use nearby bushes, where we risk encountering snakes. The existing toilet doesn’t flush, the taps don’t work, and the smell is unbearable,” she said.
She requested that the new toilets be built separately from the clinic. 

She called for an overall upgrade, noting that the facility is too small to handle the volume of patients.
-Nampa