New maternity ward in Opuwo

A new maternity ward has been inaugurated at the Opuwo State Hospital and was opened by Hon Dr Richard Kamwi, Minister of Health and Social Services, H.E Carmen Diez,Spanish Ambassador to Namibia and Mr Josua //Hoebeb, Governor of the Kunene region.  The objective of the ward, which is part of a project financed by the Spanish Cooperation, is to strengthen the Kunene Regional Health System to reduce maternal and newborn Morbidity and Mortality.

The Spanish Embassy said last week the construction of the new ward, as well as furnishing the required medical equipment, follow the first part of the project which entailed the training of doctors, nurses and midwives in Emergency Obstetric Care, the purchase of a minibus for the Faculty of Medical Science at UNAM and three ambulances for the Opuwo State Hospital. H.E Diez said that the long-term partnership between the Spanish and Namibian governments in the health sector, where they have been working together since 2003, has been mostly focusing on strengthening the regional programmes in the Erongo and Kunene ergions to fight against HIV/AIDS. She congratulated the Namibian health authorities for their efforts to achieve Millennium Development Goal number 5 that aims to improve maternal health, and she expressed her hope that this maternity ward will contribute to it.