By: Josia Shigwedha

The ministry of works and transport has announced its readiness to undertake the biggest renovations at Katutura State Hospital since its establishment 51 years ago and complete the work before the end of the current financial year. The ministry has set aside N$40 million for this project but noted that the current delays are due to the challenge of moving patients to other health facilities before renovations can begin. 

The Katutura State Hospital was built in 1973 as a referral public health facility. The ministry has announced that the renovations have begun, with most of the floors in the building already awarded to contractors. 

“Purchase orders are given to various contractors, meaning we have awarded the work to be done. And different contractors with different specialities whether electrical, plumbing and civil work, they are ready. We wanted to do it simultaneously to renovate as many floors as possible and as fast as possible to be able to operationalise the funds before the financial year,” stated Kaapanda. 

Kaapanda, who was speaking during the annual ministerial address yesterday, stated that the main challenge facing the execution of the project is finding temporary accommodation for the patients, which the ministry of health and social services is looking into.

“We have already engaged my counterpart with the executive director of the ministry of health with some proposals. We have written formal communication to perhaps see if there’s a way to find alternative accommodation or space for patients, maybe other hospitals such as Central Hospital if there is space or any other hospitals,” said Kaapanda.  

Kaapanda says if the funds are not fully utilised during the set period, they will engage the  treasury for the possibility of placing the funds in a suspense account for use in the next financial year.

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