By: Annakleta Haikera
During the State of the Region Address on Friday, Kavango West governor Verna Sinimbo issued a strong call to the Ministry of Health and Social Services to accelerate the long-overdue construction of the Nkurenkuru District Hospital, citing persistent healthcare delivery challenges across the region.
The hospital’s groundbreaking ceremony took place in 2013, over a decade ago. However, no actual construction has followed since then apart from the erection of a perimeter fence.
“Going forward, I am going to promote lay-brick ceremonies, criticising the culture of symbolic launches without follow-through,” Sinimbo said.
“When you come for a groundbreaking, we want to see a truck with bricks ready for work to start,” she asserted.
“This project is long overdue, we’ve seen too many projects where groundbreaking ceremonies are held; we danced, we clapped but to this day, nothing has materialised. We must say no to that,” Sinimbo stressed..
Despite some notable achievements in the health sector, such as the drop in HIV prevalence to 6.9%, and an improved tuberculosis treatment success rate of 82%, Sinimbo noted existing gaps in healthcare infrastructure.
“Nkurenkuru still lacks a functioning mortuary, adequate staff accommodation, reliable transport for health workers, and many rural clinics continue to operate under deteriorating conditions,” she highlighted.
The governor also called for immediate investment in the hospital, upgrades to key clinics, and the completion of Phase 2 of the Rupara Health Centre to help meet the region’s rising healthcare demands.
Sinimbo also raised alarm over the region’s continued struggle with malaria.
Since November 2024, Kavango West has recorded 18,561 malaria cases, with 14,156 being local transmissions. Of those affected, 1,358 people required hospitalisation, with 15 people having lost their lives.
“These figures are a stark reminder of the urgent need for sustained malaria prevention and control efforts,” she said.
In closing, Sinimbo acknowledged the numerous challenges facing Kavango West, but reaffirmed the region’s commitment to improving its health system and bringing essential services closer to its people, particularly in underserved areas.
