President Hage Geingob said the government has had the wisdom and foresight to safeguard life through Namibians’ health.
Officially opening the isolation facility at the Windhoek Central Hospital Wednesday, Geingob said no amount of material wealth can equate to one’s life.
The One Economy Foundation in partnership with Earth Logistics donated nine hospital beds valued at N$ 315,000.
“However, life in the absence of health is tantamount to a gift forgone,” Geingob said, adding that this is why, since declaring the State of Emergency, he has maintained that the health of the Namibian people is of highest
priority.
According to Geingob, since the confirmation of the first case of COVID-19 on 13 March 2020, Namibia has implemented a robust response aimed at limiting and containing the spread of the virus.
This response, he further said, includes the declaration of a State of Emergency, the closure of all international borders, closure of schools, universities and business, an initial lockdown of only Khomas and Erongo regions and later on all 14 regions, as well as widespread social distancing mechanisms across the country.
“In an effort to enhance the country’s readiness to respond to the pandemic, Government also availed a N$727 million emergency budget for the health sector, with special emphasis on planning, monitoring, communication, community engagement, surveillance, case investigation, infection control and prevention, case management,
operational support, as well as logistics,” he said.
Geingob added that the Government is committed to developing suitable infrastructure, as a means to ensure that there is sufficient national capacity to treat in-patients, should there be further increases of COVID-19 cases.
“The Emergency Intensive Care Unit and the Isolation Centre at Windhoek Central Hospital are the latest examples of our commitment to enhancing capacity,” he said.