Kunene Region face huge health challenges

THE Ministry of Health and Social Services serves a population of 81 423 people in the Kunene Region.

Health services are provided through hospitals, health centres, clinics and outreach services. Kunene has three district hospitals, three health centres and 1 512 outreach points.The outreach points receive visits from a team from each district hospital at least once a month. The region is vast, remote and sparsely populated with very poor infrastructure – geographical barriers that are a huge challenge for health service delivery. The region is also prone to outbreaks like cholera and measles. Despite all these challenges the region has progresses in the past two years in terms of service delivery, resource allocation and capital development, which is the upgrading of the existing health facilities and the construction of new clinics. All three the district hospitals have ambulance services for emergencies. All the health centres have transport so that prompt referrals to the nearest district hospital are ensured.Eleven vehicles bought by the Ministry were delivered for the outreach programme last year. The Outjo Hospital has been upgraded and new buildings like a mortuary and casualty ward have been added. The Kunene Region has also benefited from the nationwide upgrading and renovation of clinics and the construction of new clinics. Feasibility studies have been conducted for the construction of new clinics at Etoto, Otjinungwa and Kaoko-Otavi, while construction work is in progress at Sesfontein, Onyuva, Ombombo and Otwani.The Opuwo District Hospital will be upgraded with the help of the Spanish Government. A new maternity ward will be built and nursing staff will be trained in the area of maternal health and neonatal care. It is noteworthy that in the Kunene Region no woman has died in childbirth since 2008.A total number of 7 805 people were tested for HIV-AIDS, of which 716 tested positive and 532 have started with antiretroviral (ARV) treatment since April 2009. Since the ARV programme started in the Kunene Region in 2004, a total of 1 137 people have received treatment.HIV-AIDS remains the number one cause of death in the Kunene Region in the age group of 18 to 49 years, while diarrhoea is the top killer of children under five, followed by pneumonia and AIDS.Despite the progress made in the region there are still many challenges like a severe shortage of doctors, radiographers, social workers, environmental health officers and registered nurses. The Sesfontein health centre remains without permanent staff and all 22 clinics in the region are managed by emergency nurses in the absence of registered nurses. The high staff turnover is due to the remoteness of the area, lack of incentives and poor accommodation facilities. Long distances to health facilities prevent people from seeking health services in time. Poor sanitation, bad roads, a high accident rate and a lack of transport are just a few of the challenges faced by the community.

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