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Cement boosts Onandjokwe healthcare

Standing from left to right: Pastor Eino Nangula, Mr Frans Enkali, Chief Regional Organizer, Mr Rudolf Coetzee, General Administration Manager Ohorongo, Dr Igor Petrov, Medical Superintendent of Onandjokwe Hospital, and Hon. Henok Kankoshi, Governor of the Oshikoto Region. Seated are the the Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Bernard Haufiku and Reverent Teopolina Amoomo who tested two of the wheelchairs.

Following a request from the Ministry of Health and Social Services earlier this year, Ohorongo Cement announced last week it has made a substantial contribution to the Onandjokwe Hospital in Owamboland. This donation was made in partnership between the Ohorongo Otavi Community Trust and Support e.V. from Germany.

In July this year, the health minister, Dr Bernard Haufiku, approached Ohorongo Cement with a special request for scopes for the hospital. Within two months, the Trust and Support e.V. responded by donating the scopes and other medical equipment. The value of the equipment exceeds N$200,000. The medical equipment comprises colonoscopes, gastroscopes, a Sigmoido scope, a protoscope, a rectoscope, wheelchairs, walking frames, commode chairs, emergency kits, disinfection stations, suction pumps, microwave therapy units, an infrared coagulator and a ergometer
This equipment will be used at the Onandjokwe Hospital and surrounding areas where the need is greatest. The donation forms part of an ongoing formal commitment from cement manufacturer, Ohorongo Cement. The existing agreement between the Ohorongo Otavi Community Trust, Support e.V from Germany and the Ministry of Health and Social Services was renewed and extended for another 5 years in November 2014.
“This certainly is only a start for some projects yet to come, and we look forward to make a change within the community with the support of our stakeholders,” said Mr Rudolf Coetzee, General Administration Manager of Ohorongo Cement.
From humble beginnings to date, the total amount already invested in Corporate Social Investment projects by Ohorongo though the Trust in collaboration with Support e.V. is in excess of N$6.5 million.
Ohorongo said it has realised early on the importance of forming social investment partnerships with the communities it operates in, and on whose lives its activities has an impact. It founded the trust as a running engagement tool.

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