NMC donates mobile clinics to Mister Sister

Namibia’s largest open medical aid fund, Namibia Medical Care (NMC), officially donated two mobile clinics to Mister Sister at a handover ceremony that took place at the Polytechnic Hotel School. Mrs. Alison Begley beginning of this month.

The Principal Officer of NMC, said that they are proud to give their support to Mister Sister and to make a difference in the lives of those who have limited access to health facilities due to the vast distances in Namibia. NMC is wholeheartedly supporting the mission of Mister Sister to pioneer innovative healthcare services to meet the needs of lower income consumers and assisting the Ministry of Health and Social Services in reaching rural and remote populations with quality primary health care. Begley stressed NMC’s role in supporting the Vision 2030 by forming a public private partnership with PharmAccess Foundation and Mister Sister in bringing healthcare to the rural areas and lower income groups of Namibia and to contribute as an effective and involved corporate social citizen.
The two mobile units that NMC donated to Mister Sister are custom built and designed with all amenities to provide primary health medical services in two separate consulting rooms. They are licensed and registered with the Ministry of Health and Social Services and are equipped with all the necessary regulatory equipment and staffed with professional nurses. The value of the two mobile clinics that NMC is donating to Mister Sister is N$1.3 million. NMC’s commitment to Mister Sister does not end with the donation, NMC has joined the Mister Sister partnership and committed to monthly financial support to the Mister Sister programme for a period of three years commencing January 2013. This funding will contribute towards the operating costs of the programme, bringing health services to rural and remote populations.
Mister Sister is a Public-private Partnership with the Ministry of Health bringing quality and accessible healthcare to more Namibians. In cooperation with Mister Sister partners, NMC trusts that this programme will grow in strength and gain great momentum in bringing medical care to those who need it, as every Namibian has the right to accessible, quality healthcare.
PharmAccess Foundation ensures the highest standards of service provision both in terms of technical competence and inter-personal skills. The mobile clinics will provide mobile health services to rural and remote populations on a fixed route schedule. The primary target group for this programme is rural employees, and their dependents, whose employers contribute towards the cost of the healthcare through annual subscription and premium contributions. Communities en-route are serviced through financing provided by donors or corporate social responsibility contributions, while having to contribute a small out of pocket fee for the service.
The mobile clinics of PharmAccess’ Mister Sister programme currently operate in the Otjozondjupa and Omeheke regions, while the clinics donated by NMC will be deployed in the Khomas region commencing 6 August 2012. The volumes of participating employers contributing towards the costs of providing these services to their employees, together with local corporate social responsibility contributions will determine the long term sustainability of the programme.
On behalf of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Margaret Nghatanga, Director of Primary Health Care Services, thanked NMC for their visionary actions in supporting this innovative partnership and commended the Mister Sister partners for the achievements of the programme to date.
The handover ceremony was attended by Board members of NMC, Members of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, PharmAccess Foundation, Mister Sister partners O&L Group of Companies, Namibia Breweries Limited, on behalf of Heineken Africa Foundation, NABCOA, NIP, SHOPS and members of the media.