Paulina Ndalikokule
Stefanus Nambara
NKURENKURU – The health ministry is mobilising resources for the construction of the long-awaited Nkurenkuru District Hospital during the 2025/2026 to 2028/2029 financial years.
The hospital is included in the ministry’s broader health system plan, which will be executed in phases over a five-year period.
This was revealed by the ministry’s executive director Ben Nangombe in a media response to the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology recently.
“The construction of the Nkurenkuru District Hospital remains a high priority for the ministry. It is an integral part of the Health Strengthening Plan, which was approved by Cabinet as part of the costed plan for the 2025/2026 to 2027/2028 financial years,” he stated.
Since the hospital’s groundbreaking ceremony more than a decade ago during the time of former president Hifikepunye Pohamba, no construction has taken place, apart from a fence which was erected there.
If completed, the hospital will bring relief to the people of Kavango West, who currently depend on the Nankudu District Hospital and the Rundu Intermediate Hospital in case of emergencies.
The Rundu Intermediate Hospital is about 130 kilometres away.
For the past four years, only three health facilities were completed and renovated in the region.
At the moment, Kavango West has seven health centres and 21 clinics which cater to a population of 123 266, the 2023 Population & Housing Census reveals.
The region is divided into two health districts: Nkurenkuru and Ncamagoro.
In a recent interview, Kavango West’s Kapako constituency councillor Johannes Karondo revealed that some inhabitants of the constituency walk up to 30 kilometres to access primary healthcare services.
This is due to a lack of health facilities.
He noted that not a single health facility was constructed in the constituency since he took over in 2016. There are currently only four health facilities in the constituency, catering to a population of 27 823 residents. This exceeds all eight regional constituencies, as per the 2023 census report. Two weeks ago, the inhabitants of Katjinakatji settlement and surrounding areas in the Mankumpi constituency expressed disappointment with the ministry for allegedly failing to fix a septic tank at Katjinakatji clinic, which has been open for more than five years.
Upon visiting the facility, the sewer was seen covered by worms, causing a bad smell and exposing the community to danger.
Staff members, some of whom are accommodated at the facility, said they have adapted to living with the smell, despite having reported the issue to their ministry several times without getting any solution.
Nangombe said the ministry is aware of the septic tank which was damaged when an emptying vehicle drove over it. The septic tank has now been covered. The ministry is in the process of relocating it to a faraway place from the facility.
The director of health in the region Fransiska Hamutenya said most health facilities are in a satisfactory condition, although they are challenged by a lack of workspace and ablution facilities.
“You will find that we have facilities with only one room. Within that room, this is where they are doing all the integrated services. You will find one nurse doing vaccinations in one corner, the other nurse doing deliveries in the other corner, and screening and treatment also taking place in that same room. So, that’s why we are saying we are challenged with working space because most of our clinics are just one room,” the director lamented.
To address the issue of working space, the ministry erected prefabricated structures
at various clinics through funding from partners. “Though we have 29 facilities, this is not sufficient to cater to the whole region. More facilities are still needed, particularly in the far, remote areas. If you go to the farm lines, currently there is nothing. They walk long distances, especially the community along the Charlie Cutline. They travel either to Katjinakatji or Mpora to access health services. So, there is a need for at least one more facility to be constructed within that area,” Hamutenya said.
She added that they have made a request for clinics to be upgraded into rural light clinics, and to upgrade the Nankudu hospital into a standard hospital.
*Paulina Ndalikokule and Stefanus Nambara are information officers at MICT, Kavango West.