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Volunteers start at Gobabis hospital

2021-07-21  Staff Reporter

Volunteers start at Gobabis hospital

Hileni Mwandingi

 

GOBABIS – As part of the efforts to fight the rising Covid-19 cases in the Omaheke region, the office of the governor has sourced a volunteer doctor and her nurse husband through N/a’an ku sê Lifeline Clinic. 

Doctor Kim Craven and her husband Lester Craven are from the USA and will volunteer at the Gobabis State Hospital for six months. They have started Monday 19 July.

The two came at a time when the regional health sector is battling an increased number of Covid-19 positive cases and deaths since the beginning of last month.   

The chief medical officer of the Omaheke region, Dr Alice Kabongo, expressed gratitude, saying the medical officials will be helpful to the region, especially during these tough times. 

She further gave an update on the Covid-19 situation in the region, saying it is now under control, with some of the isolation centres that were opened at the beginning of June closed, a change she attributes to information sharing through radio and also vaccination. 

“Actually, for two weeks now, the number of cases has gone down and we have closed some isolation spaces that were opened at the beginning of June; we had up to six spaces that were opened – so for now, we have closed all the spaces and only remained with two: the main isolation and the intensive care in the hospital, so the situation is now coming under control,” said Kabongo.

She also added that in the past, people were waiting until it became too late before seeking medical attention, which contributed to a high Covid-19 death rate, while some did not even seek help, which resulted in many home deaths in the region. She said the situation has since changed and residents are reporting to hospitals at the earliest stage.

Kabongo, however, said the oxygen supply remains a challenge for the region, although they are managing.

“The oxygen supply is still a problem; we are still driving every day to go and pick up our oxygen cylinders in Windhoek but the situation is under control and the oxygen supply now is not that of a problem as previously,” Kabongo said. 

At the same event, the governor also handed over different items that were donated to his office, including blankets, masks and some medical equipment, which he said were donated by his friends in Germany. 


2021-07-21  Staff Reporter

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