The Motor Vehicles Accident Fund (MVA) has, so far, paid N$25 million for 1552 personal accident claims between January and August this year.
MVA Chief Executive Officer, Rosalia Martins-Hausiku, on Thursday, said claims vary depending on injuries sustained, with a maximum payout of N$100,000 for severe injuries.
“On average, we pay about N$50,000 to N$60,000. In terms of medical services, we spend around N$200 million per annum, of which hospitals accounts for about 45-50%, followed by specialists,” Martins-Hausiku said.
She revealed that, in 2022, the fund had paid N$62 million for 2582 claims and N$71 million for 2741 claims in 2021.
In terms of fatalities, 264 have been recorded thus far in 2023, 466 in 2022, and 550 fatalities in 2021.
“The amount paid so far for 2023 may increase as we progress towards the end of the year because some people are still coming to claim since there is a 12-month grace period,” the MVA Fund CEO said.
“Overall, as it stands, we have seen lower accident cases, injuries, and fatalities, thus we are hopeful considering that the most accident-prone months of June, July, and August have passed. We may see a surge during the festive season; however, we shall be working hard again to make sure we record fewer cases.”
In terms of responsiveness, Martins-Haufiku said the fund is engaged in a partnership with private ambulance service providers, while the fund does not necessarily decide where to admit accident-injured persons, such decisions are made by first responder paramedics after determining the injuries.
“On our part, we rely on medical recommendations on where they feel the patient should be transferred. Some have complained about why some are admitted in Katutura while others are at private hospitals,” she said.
The MVA provides aftercare medical expenses of up to N$1.5 million until the patient recovers or depletes the amount.
The MVA Fund is a government entity mandated to design, promote, and implement crash and injury prevention measures in the country.
