– The Ohangwena region is struggling to keep pace with the demand for health services, with hospitals and clinics battling infrastructure gaps, lack of equipment and incomplete projects.
This was revealed by the Acting Regional Health Director, Festus Kuushomwa, during a visit by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health, Social Services and Labour Affairs at Eenhana on Thursday.
“We are facing major challenges in delivering effective health services. Some of our hospitals are functioning beyond their capacity and several new clinics remain incomplete or unequipped, making it difficult to serve the community as expected,” Kuushomwa
emphasised.
Kuushomwa highlighted that Okongo District Hospital remains a pressing concern. Originally built for a health centre, it was upgraded to a district hospital in 1995 without the necessary infrastructure upgrades to accommodate full hospital functions.
“The facility still lacks adequate space, medical and isolation wards for infectious diseases,” he said.
Engela District Hospital, the largest in the region, is earmarked for upgrading into an intermediate hospital, but its outpatient and casualty departments remain overstretched.
The Engela Nurse Manager, Frans Immanuel emphasised that the facility is the second largest maternity hospital in the country with between 300 and 400 babies delivered every month. The number is expected to rise further in September.
He revealed that the current maternity ward was built to accommodate only 30 mothers, a capacity far too small for the demand.
“We are appealing for a new maternity ward to be constructed,” Immanuel said.
The hospital also faces severe constraints in its casualty department, which was promised an expansion last year, but nothing has been done to date. Currently, the department operates with only two dressing tables, one blood pressure machine and no privacy for patients being treated.
The pharmacy department also requires urgent expansion. Engela receives medical stock not only for its hospital but also for the surrounding clinics. Due to limited space, medicine is only kept in small quantities, forcing the hospital to spend more money on transportation for frequent re-supply trips.
Eenhana District Hospital also requires expansion of its outpatient and casualty sections as well as the replacement of ageing equipment such as autoclaves, laundry machines and incinerators. Currently, the hospital only has one functional washing machine.
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Clinics and outreach
The region currently operates 32 primary healthcare clinics, two health centres and 155 outreach points. However, many new facilities remain incomplete.
The Onanghulo clinic, built at a cost of over N$10 million, is closed while awaiting electricity connection from Nored. Similarly, the Onamafila clinic budgeted for N$19 million remains unfinished due to delays in procuring a sewage system and a booster pump for water supply.
The fabricated Onamukulo clinic, constructed for N$4.2 million, is almost complete and expected to be handed over soon.
The acting director noted that development in the eastern part of the region continues to lag with limited roads, water supply, mobile networks and public transport. Residents often walk long distances to access health services.
Kuushomwa stressed the urgent need to expand all three district hospitals, upgrade Engela to an intermediate hospital and improve equipment and infrastructure.
