Rural ambulances travelling from faraway towns

Constituency councillors are raising the alarm over critical ambulance shortages and vast travel distances hindering emergency healthcare delivery across Namibia’s growing rural communities.

Limited access to emergency vehicles and clinics has forced residents to rely on ambulances dispatched from distant urban centres.

Last year, the Ministry of Health and Social Services announced that it had procured 36 ambulances at a cost of N$32million to be deployed countrywide.

Health minister Esperance Luvindao also announced that the ministry would start procuring ‘smart’ ambulances with artificial intelligence-assisted emergency care.

Japan donated three ambulances to the ministry last year, but vehicle shortages still raise fears about the healthcare system’s ability to respond to emergencies.

Tsumkwe councillor Petrus Mutji says his constituency only has two ambulances covering a vast 300km.

The ambulances are shared between clinics at Tsumkwe, Gam and Omatako, as well as the health centre at Mangetti and other villages close to the Botswana border, he says.

Mutji is calling on the government for more ambulances to fill the gap when the vehicles are sent to Otjiwarongo or to the maternity centre at Mangetti – which are 100km apart.

Walvis Bay Rural constituency councillor Ruben Shikongo says the constituency currently has no ambulances stationed at Utuseb clinic.

“And there is only one clinic – the one at Utuseb – which is currently catering to people at farm 37 and Tutaleni at Kuisebmond,” he says.

Windhoek Rural councillor Willem Gariseb says only one ambulance is currently dedicated to the Groot Aub, Dorolabis and Bawmgarts brunn clinics.

“There is no sufficient number of ambulances to cater to all of Windhoek Rural, as all the clinics have to share one ambulance,” he says.

Gariseb is also calling on the government to build additional clinics at farms Vaalgras and Bloukrans to cater to patients.

He says patients from farm Vaalgras are forced to spend about N$700 on private transport to Rehoboth, which has the closest health centre.

Tobias Hainyeko councillor Christopher Likuwa says ambulance service facilities assist community members through the City of Windhoek.

“We always get ambulances here from Ombili to Kilimanjaro through the services of the municipality and the private line of 1119,” he says.

Likuwa says although Okuryangava has a 24-hour clinic, the councillor’s office hopes to provide an additional 24-hour service at Babylon Clinic to alleviate the pressure on the Katutura Health Centre.

Luvindao has previously acknowledged that despite recent investments, Namibia continues to face a shortage of ambulances, particularly in districts covering vast geographical areas.

She has also pointed out that in some regions, a single ambulance may only manage one patient transfer per day due to the long distances involved, resulting in delays for other patients.

The minister has said the shortage places additional pressure on the health system, as ambulances are often required to travel hundreds of kilometres to reach patients or transfer them between facilities.

The minister said additional ambulances remain critical to reducing waiting times and saving lives.

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