Onandjokwe brings endoscopy services to the north

The long journey to Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital for endoscopy services is becoming a thing of the past for many patients in northern Namibia, as specialist doctors take the service closer to their communities.

This is being done through the Prof. Filemon Amaambo Endoscopy Tour, a specialist outreach initiative by Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital aimed at decentralising gastrointestinal diagnostic and therapeutic services and making them more accessible to communities, particularly those in remote and underserved areas.

Dr Namutenya Malima told Network Media Hub that the outreach programme was initiated in 2022 by Dr Akutu Munyika, following a high influx of patients travelling to Onandjokwe to access endoscopy services.

She said its primary objectives are to improve access to specialised care, reduce the financial and logistical burden of travelling for endoscopy, shorten the waiting list, and support the timely diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal diseases.

The programme was formally named the Prof. Filemon Amaambo Endoscopy Tour in October 2025 and now operates through two outreach cycles in the northern regions each year.

The current cycle covered five hospitals over five consecutive days, starting at Omuthiya District Hospital on day one, followed by Tsumeb, Okongo and Eenhana, before concluding at Engela District Hospital on Friday.

While the total number of procedures is still being consolidated, Dr Malima said the team had conducted a substantial number of oesophagogastroduodenoscopies (OGDs) and colonoscopies across the facilities, including biopsies where indicated. Patients with significant findings were appropriately referred for further management and follow-up.

During the outreach, doctors identified a range of gastrointestinal conditions. Common upper gastrointestinal findings included gastritis, gastro-oesophageal reflux, peptic ulcer disease, polyps and suspicious gastric masses.

Colonoscopies revealed colon and rectal masses, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular disease, polyps and internal haemorrhoids.

Dr Malima said taking the services closer to patients who meet the clinical criteria was helping to reduce demand at Onandjokwe, shorten the endoscopy waiting list and ease pressure on the referral system.

She added that the Surgical Department at Onandjokwe also runs surgical outreach programmes to help reduce its backlog.

Building local capacity

Capacity building is another important part of the tour. Local healthcare workers, particularly nursing staff, participate in the procedures and receive practical training in patient preparation, procedural assistance, and the processing and cleaning of endoscopy equipment.

The tour has not been without challenges. Dr Malima said the team operated with only one endoscopy tower during the current cycle while managing high demand, requiring careful coordination of the procedural schedule.

Despite this, patients were attended to according to clinical priority, she said.

Engela District Hospital marks the end of this particular outreach cycle, but Dr Malima assured patients who are still waiting that their need for timely investigation is recognised.

“We recognise the importance of timely gastrointestinal investigation and management. We are encouraged by the progress made and the outreach programme will hopefully continue to bring specialised services closer to communities, while Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital remains available to provide endoscopic services to patients who require them,” she said.