Katima Mulilo: Newly sworn-in member of the sixth National Council and Katima Mulilo Urban Constituency councillor, Kennedy Simasiku, has bemoaned the little progress made to upgrade the Katima Mulilo District Hospital to an intermediate hospital. Simasiku expressed his worries in his maiden speech in the National Council on Monday.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Simasiku highlighted the challenges faced due to a lack of equipment and facilities at the Katima Mulilo District Hospital, which forces patients to travel over 500 kilometres to Rundu Intermediate Hospital and, in many cases, to Windhoek for referrals. This situation has placed a significant burden on the hospital’s ambulance fleet, with one ambulance reportedly clocking over 800,000 kilometres.
In his address, Simasiku pointed out that the Health Ministry has resorted to hiring private ambulances as a temporary measure. He noted the financial implications of this decision, explaining that a single trip from Katima Mulilo costs the ministry ap
proximately N.dollars 40,000. If used frequently, the cost could reach N.dollars 160,000 in a month and around N.dollars 960,000 in six months, which he argued is enough to purchase a new Land Cruiser and convert it into an ambulance.
Simasiku mentioned that he had presented this information to the Ministry of Health a year ago, suggesting the procurement of new ambulances to avoid the wasteful expenditure on old vehicles and private services. However, he lamented that no action has been taken so far.
He further expressed hope that the newly appointed Minister of Health would address these concerns, questioning how long it would take for practical solutions to be implemented to ensure reliable ambulance services in the region.
Simasiku took over from former Kabbe South Constituency councillor, John Likando, in the National Council. Likando resigned from his position as councillor and member of the National Council following his elevation to the National Assembly in March.