By: Peneyambeko Jonas
The Onamafila Primary Health Care Clinic in the Oshikunde Constituency has officially opened, bringing public healthcare services closer to residents of about 24 villages in the Ohangwena Region.
Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Esperance Luvindao, officially inaugurated the facility last week, accompanied by Ohangwena Governor Kadiva Hamutumwa and Oshikunde Constituency Councillor William Shatimwene.
Constructed at a cost of N$21.7 million, the clinic is expected to reduce the distance residents travel to access basic healthcare services. It will serve communities including Oshifitu, Eyangwa, Omushai, Okambuwa, Onakanghudi, Ongete and Ombuumbu.
The investment comes as rural communities continue to face challenges related to access to
public services, including the cost of travelling to health facilities located far from their homes.
For residents of Onamafila, the opening of the clinic is therefore not only a healthcare development but also an economic relief, as shorter travel distances can reduce transport costs and the time spent travelling for medical consultations and treatment.
Onamafila resident Mathias Klaudia said the community had for years faced difficulties travelling to hospitals, with some residents relying on donkeys and donkey carts to reach healthcare facilities.
“We used to travel far when going to the hospital, and most of the time we travelled by donkey or donkey carts. Now we have the gravel road, the network tower and, most importantly, this public clinic,” Klaudia said.
The new facility is also expected to benefit surrounding communities by providing essential healthcare services closer to where people live. This could reduce the indirect economic burden associated with seeking medical care, particularly for households with limited incomes.
Speaking at the inauguration, Luvindao said access to healthcare should not depend on a person’s ability to pay.
She called for quality and affordable healthcare services to be made available to all Namibians, saying the government remained committed to strengthening the country’s healthcare system and ensuring that medical services are within reach of communities.
“Access to medical care should not be determined by one’s financial status,” Luvindao said.
For former Oshikunde Constituency Councillor and former Member of Parliament, Lonia Shinana-Kaishungu, the opening represents the fulfilment of a long-standing demand from the community.
Shinana-Kaishungu described the occasion as an emotional milestone, recalling years of calls for the clinic to become operational. She expressed gratitude to those who contributed to making the facility a reality.
She said the clinic would improve access to healthcare for residents who previously had to travel long distances for medical services.
The N$21.7 million investment also adds to public infrastructure in a rural area where improved roads, telecommunications and healthcare services are gradually changing access to essential services.
For the communities around Onamafila, the immediate significance of the clinic is practical: residents can now seek primary healthcare closer to home, while reducing some of the time and transport costs associated with travelling to distant health facilities.
penny@eaglefm.com.na
