Former health and social services minister Kalumbi Shangula says he will reignite his passion for writing during retirement.
Speaking to The Namibian recently, Shangula described his tenure as challenging and exciting.
Shangula was appointed by former president Hage Geingob in December 2018, serving as Namibia’s fifth health minister.
“I would say it was challenging due to the fact that when I was appointed it was in the middle of the hepatitis E outbreak and while we were still fighting hepatitis-E a year later, it was the outbreak of Covid-19,” Shangula said.
He added that his tenure as a minister officially kicked off in 2023, after the pandemic ceased and he could fully concentrate on the ministerial programme according to the ministerial mandate.
He recalled the year 2021 as the worst year, when many lives were lost during the Covid-19 delta variant.
“I recalled one of my worst days in office when I announced the death of 150 people who died due to Covid-19 just in one day. I underwent military training years ago which taught us to be fearless and courageous and I lived and was guided by these principles throughout the pandemic,” he added.
Shangula highlighted the ministry’s accomplishments during his tenure, such as overcoming hepatitis E, and controlling and overcoming Covid-19.
“I felt humbled by the overwhelming remarks made by the public on how Namibia was managing the pandemic of Covid-19. We lost a total of 3 000 people,” he said.
Shangula added that the ministry introduced the dialysis programme, making it the first time in the country’s history that the government instituted this programme, with Katutura Intermediate Hospital and Oshakati State Hospital being fully equipped with dialysis equipment.
After Covid-19, Shangula said the ministry also realised the shortage of intensive care unit beds.
When asked about his plans after retirement, Shanglula said: “I am a medical doctor by profession, I will not be far from the medical fraternity.”
He added that he has a passion for writing, having written medical science articles and a book. Shangula in 2020 launched his autobiography titled ‘Journey Into The Unknown’, which he said encouraged him to write more.
In his response to dilapidated healthcare facilities countrywide, Shangula said the economy of the country and available resources dictates how the ministry responds to pressing issues of renovating hospitals, healthcare centres and clinics.
Shangula admitted to delayed service delivery, saying it is due to the growing population. He said it is for this reason that the Windhoek district hospital will be constructed, to relieve the pressure around Katutura Intermediate Hospital, which is the only referral hospital in Windhoek.
The hospital is expected to be completed between 2026 and 2027, with the capacity of 500 hospital beds, Shangula added.
The ministry recruited healthcare providers, pharmacists and hospital staff for the workload to decrease and for improved quality healthcare and service delivery, he said.
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