Kavango West clinic finally open after 12 years

Communities in the Kavango West region will no more have to travel far and brave the elements to access healthcare.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services yesterday inaugurated the Gcaruhwa Clinic, on which construction started in 2012.

The project was delayed due to a contractor who failed to complete the assignment and other issues, the ministry said.

Minister of health and social services Kalumbi Shangula said the facility will serve communities, which for a long time battled to access healthcare services.

He said the event is also a significant milestone in the ongoing journey towards achieving universal health coverage (UHC).

“From today, those struggles have become something of the past. Healthcare services for this community and the surrounding areas have been brought closer to you,” he said.

Shangula said while construction was delayed, the completion of the project demonstrates the government’s commitment to bringing services closer to the people and to ensure that every Namibian has access to quality, comprehensive healthcare, regardless of where they live and without suffering financial hardship.

According to Shangula, the construction of the clinic was delayed after the government awarded over N$7 million to a contractor which failed to complete the assignment.

The contract was awarded on 6 September 2012, he said.

“The work started on 19 October 2012 and was expected to be completed on 17 October 2013. However, the contractor failed to complete the work and the contract was terminated on 29 February 2016,” he said.

Shangula said consultants then commenced with the documentation of the outstanding works to enable the ministry to start the re-tendering process.

He said the documentation was completed and a submission requesting to advertise the call for quotation was submitted to the then Tender Board of Namibia.

However, the project could not get off the ground due to the re-prioritisation of all capital projects due to fiscal consolidation.

“The site was handed over to a new contractor on 23 November 2022. During my second visit here, I gave the assurance that the clinic would be completed on schedule.

“It was completed in October 2023,” Shangula said.

He said during the construction, nurses were operating from the nurses’ home near the village.

Gcaruhwa clinic reopened its doors to render services in April 2023 before the completion of the main clinic.

The minister said several integrated healthcare services, including post-natal care, antenatal care, family planning and other services are provided at the facility.

The health ministry faces challenges which are often amplified in remote communities, he said.