Kamwi looks at health centres

THE Minister of Health and Social Services, Richard Kamwi, and other health officials are visiting Namibia’s 13 regions to assess the state of health facilities.

The tour started at Eenhana in the Ohangwena Region on Wednesday, where the delegation met regional leaders led by Governor Usko Nghaamwa. Kamwi said they started in Ohangwena because that is believed to be the poorest region in Namibia.He said some clinics have never been renovated since they were built in the 1960s and were dilapidated.”I know the Ministry does not have enough money, but still we cannot sit and idle with our health facilities in such bad condition,” he said.He said the purpose of the tour was to gather information so that Government could decide what to do to improve health services.The Minister said after the trip he would submit a report to President Hifikepunye Pohamba, Cabinet and eventually Parliament to motivate a bigger budget for his Ministry.He said State hospitals and clinics were in dire need of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, equipment, medicine and ambulances.According to Kamwi, the Ministry was receiving only N$2 million a year for transport, including ambulances, when he became Minister two years ago.In this year’s budget, that figure had grown to N$17 million.He called upon parents to motivate their children to study medicine so that Namibia can have enough qualified health workers.Kamwi thanked Kenya and Cuba for sending nurses and doctors to Namibia in the meantime to make up for the shortage of qualified people here.The Minister expressed concern about regional leaders who expose people to waterborne diseases by closing water points and forcing them to drink unsafe water.”Even the President is not happy with this situation,” he said.”We really have to provide clean, safe water to the people.””I am calling upon Governors and regional councillors to open all the water points that have been closed because of non-payment,” Kamwi said.Kamwi said they started in Ohangwena because that is believed to be the poorest region in Namibia.He said some clinics have never been renovated since they were built in the 1960s and were dilapidated.”I know the Ministry does not have enough money, but still we cannot sit and idle with our health facilities in such bad condition,” he said.He said the purpose of the tour was to gather information so that Government could decide what to do to improve health services.The Minister said after the trip he would submit a report to President Hifikepunye Pohamba, Cabinet and eventually Parliament to motivate a bigger budget for his Ministry.He said State hospitals and clinics were in dire need of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, equipment, medicine and ambulances.According to Kamwi, the Ministry was receiving only N$2 million a year for transport, including ambulances, when he became Minister two years ago.In this year’s budget, that figure had grown to N$17 million.He called upon parents to motivate their children to study medicine so that Namibia can have enough qualified health workers.Kamwi thanked Kenya and Cuba for sending nurses and doctors to Namibia in the meantime to make up for the shortage of qualified people here.The Minister expressed concern about regional leaders who expose people to waterborne diseases by closing water points and forcing them to drink unsafe water.”Even the President is not happy with this situation,” he said.”We really have to provide clean, safe water to the people.””I am calling upon Governors and regional councillors to open all the water points that have been closed because of non-payment,” Kamwi said.