Namdeb has established and opened a fully-fledged testing facility at Oranjemund in response to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.
Since the pandemic’s outbreak, Covid-19 tests were only being administered through accredited laboratories.
In a press statement, Namdeb spokesperson Shangelao Ndadi said the laboratory facility was completed in record time and has passed all validation tests, which were conducted by reputable external service providers. 
The testing facility was approved on 10 July after the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) carried out rigorous assessments. 

“The establishment of the facility is timeous, given the current scourge of Covid-19 cases within the country and the limited testing capacity,” said Ndadi.
Ndadi further added the Namdeb hospital has put in place a policy framework that would serve as a term of reference in providing guidance to staff and the Oranjemund community in dealing with suspected cases of Covid-19. 
“All tests conducted will be reported to the relevant authorities in line with established protocols and will form part of the national statistics on Covid-19,” explained Ndadi.

The establishment of the facility forms part of a comprehensive plan by the company to safeguard the health and safety of Namdeb employees and support the local community. 

In addition to the testing facility, the company has been instrumental in availing and setting up of isolation units in Oranjemund and Lüderitz. 
The company also procured essential medical equipment such as ventilators, beds and testing equipment.
“Whilst the facility is very important to ensure and manage the Covid-19 pandemic in the business, the company is honoured to assist the community and the country at large in alleviating some of the pressure in conducting tests,” said Namdeb CEO Riaan Burger.  –mamakali@nepc.com