The Ministry of Health and Social Services is planning to relocate the maternity ward at the ELCIN Nkurenkuru Health Centre to the Nkurenkuru Primary Healthcare Centre.

Health Executive Director Ben Nangombe during a media briefing here on Sunday said the ward will be accommodated at the 12-bed COVID-19 isolation facility to prevent disruption to services.

“The isolation facility is fairly modern, is new, and is well catered for in terms of oxygen. And it is felt that because of the situation at the health centre, patients should be transferred or admitted to the isolation facility at the Nkurenkuru Primary Healthcare clinic. The aim is to ensure that services that are normally rendered by the health centre are not disrupted,” Nangombe said.

With only 10 beds in the maternity ward, the ELCIN Health Centre which is owned by Lutheran Medical Services, is under pressure from a large number of patients, including Angolan nationals, who need maternity care.

“On the busiest month, about 90 deliveries take place at the health centre and about 12 home deliveries are seen monthly. Most of the emergencies are catered for and stabilised at the centre prior to referral to Nankudu District Hospital,” Nangombe said, adding that the centre also serves as a referral point for the Sikarosompo, Mbambi, and Muparara clinics.

He said the primary healthcare clinic is the envisaged Nkurenkuru regional hospital in the Kavango West Region. And once fully operational, Nangombe said the facility will offer services such as screening, antenatal and postnatal care, family planning services, dental services, and an anti-retroviral therapy section.

“The anti-retroviral therapy section offers voluntary counselling and testing services. The section also hosts an adolescent-friendly room with its own private entrance. Young people are encouraged to make use of the facility to receive the needed services in privacy,” Nangombe said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency