Kavango West health director Fransiska Hamutenya says her directorate spends between N$2 million and N$3 million a year on office rentals, with no budget set aside in the current financial year for a permanent regional office, despite an urgent need for proper premises.
Hamutenya, during a courtesy meeting with deputy minister of health and social services Suzan Ndjaleka on Friday, said the regional management team is currently renting office space at the Matukuchila complex, with both the regional and district teams accommodated at a high cost to the ministry.
She said only N$2 million is pencilled in the 2027/28 medium‑term framework for the construction of new offices.
The planned project for the Ncamagoro district office at Mile 30 Clinic has no allocation either this year, with N$5 million only projected for the 2027/28 financial year.
Hamutenya said the Ncamagoro district team is still operating from Rundu instead of Mile 30 Clinic because of accommodation shortages at the clinic, creating disputes about whether staff should receive duty travel allowances and other benefits.
The director painted a grim picture of infrastructure backlogs, saying the Kavango West region remains the only one without a proper district hospital.
The old Nankudu hospital “was never meant to be a hospital” and functions “like military barracks”, with no intensive care unit and limited mortuary capacity, forcing referrals to Rundu, 135km away and putting maternity cases at risk.
Kavango West governor Verna Sinimbo has urged the ministry to “prioritise and accelerate” the construction of a long-promised Nkurenkuru district hospital, saying residents “are understandably eager to see tangible progress” and want to see “dust at the site” after years of delays.
In her response, Ndjaleka said her visit is aimed at seeking clarity on the priority needs of the region and building trust between the ministry and the region.
She promised her team would work with the regional health directorate to develop a clear plan. – Lylie Joel (Nampa)
