Michael Mutonga Liswaniso 

KATIMA MULILO – Health and Social Services Minister Dr Esperance Luvindao yesterday officially commissioned the renovated Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Katima Mulilo District Hospital in the Zambezi region. 

The N$3.5 million renovation involved the addition of eight beds to the existing 264-bed unit, as well as new state-of-the-art medical equipment and advanced life-support systems. 

Luvindao, in her remarks, said for too long the people of the Zambezi region have faced a daunting reality when it comes to critical care, with patients and families travelling hundreds of kilometres to Rundu and Windhoek respectively for specialised care, leading to immense financial and emotional strain. 

She said the opening of the ICU is a vital step in elevating the hospital towards becoming a fully-fledged regional intermediate hospital, part of which is the strengthening of human resources, upgrading infrastructure, and enhancing medical equipment and technology to build a resilient and responsive health system that meets the evolving needs of the people of Zambezi. 

“This vision is fully aligned with our plans to upgrade the Katima Mulilo District Hospital to an Intermediate Hospital. These plans are anchored in the Ministerial Strategic Plan and the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6),” she said. 

With NDP6, the government is actively pursuing strategies to decentralise specialised healthcare services, reducing the reliance on centralised facilities and bringing critical care closer to the communities that need it most. 

“This facility stands as a testament to our dedication to these plans and ensures that no one in Namibia, regardless of their location, is left behind in accessing essential health services,” stated the minister. 

She urged the hospital management to be duty-bound and for the ICU to continue to save lives and serve as a beacon of hope for generations to come while continuously keeping professional development, keeping staff updated with the latest medical technologies, treatment protocols, and global best practices. -Nampa