The Namibian Defence Force yesterday handed the new military field hospital over to the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) at the Walvis Bay District Hospital.
The facility was built in anticipation of a growing number of Covid-19 cases in the Erongo region.
The 18-bed field hospital was constructed at the same site the failed 150-bed containerised Covid-19 hospital was to be built by the private sector in April.
Erongo regional health director Anna Jonas received the field hospital on behalf of the health ministry.
“We have increasing cases daily, and this will just augment what we already have,” Jonas said.
Walvis Bay ran out of isolation beds a week ago, leading the health ministry to admitting patients at the under-utilised National Youth Service (NYS) hostel at Henties Bay.
Colonel Festus Sackaria, commander of the mobile field hospital, said: “Should the need arise, the military field hospital can be expanded to accommodate 32 patients.”
There are over 260 Covid-19 cases in the Erongo region.
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