N$30 million to train health students through simulation

The University of Namibia’s Hage Geingob campus has invested close to N$30 million in a state-of-the-art health simulation centre.

The university’s executive dean for the faculty of health sciences and veterinary medicine, Judith Hall, says the investment amounts to between N$20 million and N$30 million.

The simulation centre is meant for training health sciences and veterinary students, she says.

Hall was speaking at a media open day at the university yesterday.

“Last year we spent a lot of money on simulation equipment. This year we’re spending N$20 million to N$30 million on the conversion of that space into a simulation centre,” she said.

Hall said the centre would be completed within six to nine months.

Simulation training of local doctors through practical and real-world situations would greatly benefit Namibia, while sending them abroad benefits other countries and their patients, she said.

“I think if you want to train somebody in paediatrics, for example) and you send them to another country to train, the patients in the other country benefit, because they have your doctor looking after their patient,” Hall said.

One of the youngest schools at the campus, the School of Veterinary Medicine, was introduced in 2014 and has graduated a total of 83 students since its inception.

According to Rainer Hassel, the university’s Veterinary Academic Hospital head, all graduates from the School of Veterinary Medicine are employed in and around Namibia.

“All 83 graduates are employed in Namibia, South Africa and Botswana,” he said.

John Rutabanzibwa, the associate dean at Unam’s School of Dentistry, said students were often trained at Katutura Intermediate Hospital in the past, but the university built a dental clinic on campus in 2021.

“It’s a very expensive course, so our intake is about 22 to 23 students,” he said.

He said this number increased from 16 to 22 when the campus obtained sufficient equipment.