The minister of health, Dr Kalumbi Shangula said the health ministry and the City of Windhoek have successfully concluded negotiations for use of facilities to be used as additional COVID-19 sample collection points.
The minister notes that two that will be made available are the Katutura and Otjomuise Community Centres. Other facilities are still being considered for use as well.
“There is also a consideration to avail more facilities in other parts of the City such as Tobias Hainyeko in Hakahana, Ombili Municipal Hall as well as sites Samora Machel and Moses Garoeb Constituencies,” Shangula added.
Shangula said that this will go a long way in improving the ministry’s reach into the communities with vital services.
“As such residents will no longer have to travel long distances to access these services.”
Shangula also added another testing facility to the list as the clinic at the Windhoek Correctional Facility is now open for testing of civil servants.
“The Clinic at the Windhoek Central Correctional Facility has also been repurposed and is currently being utilized to collect COVID-19 specimens. Civil servants are encouraged to make use of this facility.”
The health minister continued with the state of capacity that has been added towards escalating efforts to process test samples.
“As far as COVID-19 testing capacity in the country is concerned, I wish to report that additional capacity has been added in the form of a repurposed laboratory at the Central Veterinary Laboratory.”
The minister says that the Central Veterinary laboratory made its equipment available, facilities and personnel to assist in the national effort.
He adds that the testing backlog will be greatly reduced with these additional resources coming in to help with the testing.
“I am further pleased to inform you that the testing backlog for COVID-19 at Namibia Institute of Pathology, which stood at more than 4000 two weeks ago, has been reduced to less 1,300. This means that we should be able to clear the backlog within the next few days.”
Shangula indicates that results taken after this backlog would be available within a period of 24 hours.
The minister warned that the responsibility would now move from the government’s hands into that of the individual, family clusters and the communities across the country as the end of the state of emergency is close.
“It will be a sad day if the current gains of the past six months will be eroded by conducts that are not compatible with public health measures. As we will be on autopilot mode, we must ensure that we stay the course.”
