The Ministry of Health and Social Services says it spent N$18 million towards acquiring land for the construction of the new Windhoek District Hospital, with a referral hospital also planned for Ondangwa.
According to the Health and Social Services Minister Kalumbi Shangula, this is the beginning of a broader plan to upgrade the country’s health infrastructure with more hospitals planned for Otjiwarongo, Nkurenkuru, Ondangwa and the Oshana region.
“We have planned Windhoek District Hospital, we have the Otjiwarongo regional hospital as well as Nkurenkuru and one regional hospital in Oshana and a hospital in Ondangwa,” Shangula said.
The Minister further explained that the land for the Otjiwarongo project has been secured through a purchase of N$5 million, with the transfer of ownership to the Ministry having already been finalised.
In Ondangwa, a referral hospital is planned on a donated site. However, the Ministry will need to compensate the current occupants for vacating the premises, with an estimated cost of N$2 million.
“So those are the ones we have under the pipeline. We are currently concentrating on the one in Windhoek, there is no date for the others as it is very expensive,” he said.
Out of the 27 state hospitals, the country has five referral hospitals, including Windhoek Central, which is considered a national referral facility, while the Katutura, Oshakati, Onandjokwe and Rundu facilities are intermediate hospitals.
Overall, the Ministry of Health and Social Services is responsible for 530 public facilities, including 49 hospitals, 60 health centres and 421 clinics, according to the 2023 National Infrastructure Atlas by NSA.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has outlined a cost plan that was endorsed by the Cabinet two years ago for the Health System Strengthening Initiative.
This nationwide initiative is estimated to require N$16 billion in resources. The plan encompasses various aspects crucial for strengthening the healthcare system, including infrastructure development, equipment acquisition, ambulance provision, human resource investment and the procurement of pharmaceuticals and clinical supplies.
Windhoek District Hospital broke ground in May 2024 and is estimated to be completed in 2027, with a total project cost of N$2.9 billion.
