The Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund says it is conducting a traffic impact assessment for the construction of the country’s first dedicated, specialised trauma and rehabilitation facility in Katutura.
The City of Windhoek last year approved the sale of erf 10812 to the MVA Fund for N$21 million for the construction of the centre.
MVA Fund CEO Rosalia Martins-Hausiku said the traffic impact study will establish whether the placement of the allocated land meets the requirements for a level-1 trauma centre
“There are requirements because there must be mobility. So, now we are actually going to look at this. We got consultants to do that assessment for us. It’s a traffic impact assessment,” Martins-Hausiku said.
Martins-Hausiku also said even though there is no definite start date for the construction of the facility, it has drawn the attention of a number of potential investors pending finalisation of the cost.
“Now we’ve had interest from various investors who want to join us in this project. And hopefully, once we have finalised the cost, we can go back to them and then they can commit. Only then will you have an idea of when we will start with the project and when the end is,” Martins-Hausiku said.
Martins-Hausiku noted that the envisaged trauma hospital is expected to support the government’s health for all development agenda as per the country’s Sustainable Development Goals, such as Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being.
The initial idea for the trauma centre started in 2012 and led to the completion of the first feasibility study in 2018. The center will house 92 beds and is also expected to serve as an additional source of income for the fund.
The MVA Fund is a statutory body, which is mandated to design, promote and implement crash and injury prevention measures.