Walvis Bay hospital receives CT scanner in major healthcare boost
Residents of Walvis Bay and the wider Erongo region will no longer need to travel to Windhoek for CT scans, following the donation of a brand-new N$4.9 million scanner to the Walvis Bay District Hospital.
The machine was officially handed over on Friday by the Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine.
Speaking on behalf of health minister Dr Esperance Luvindao, executive director of the ministry, Penda Ithindi, said the donation would enhance the delivery of quality healthcare and support early diagnosis and preventative care.
He noted that while the hospital already houses one of the latest digital X-ray machines, the CT scanner would offer more detailed and precise imaging, aiding in accurate diagnosis and treatment monitoring.
“The CT scan technology being introduced at this facility will reduce the burden on other hospitals such as Windhoek Central and Katutura Intermediate hospitals, to which referrals are typically made, and decrease delays in patient management,” said Ithindi.
"The availability of a CT scanner in the Walvis Bay-Swakopmund Complex will empower medical professionals to make faster and more informed decisions, particularly in emergency situations, leading to better prognoses and improved patient outcomes," he added.
In addition to the machine, access will also be provided to specialist services via virtual platforms, which will serve as capacity building for local medical professionals.
International health partners
Lin Shengyou, vice president of Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, explained that in 2020, President Xi Jinping proposed the China-Africa Paired Hospital Cooperation Mechanism, which paved the way for collaboration between Zhejiang and Walvis Bay.
“Through surveys and discussions, we identified medical imaging and critical care as key areas of cooperation. Since its official launch in April 2023, through training programmes that received eight professionals from Walvis Bay Hospital in China and dispatched six of our experts to Namibia, we have achieved skill transfer in radiological scanning as well as treatment and nursing in critical care,” he noted.
Additionally, the China-based hospital has shipped three batches of medical equipment and consumables worth over N$6 million, including the CT scanner, ventilators and patient monitors, and has established a remote imaging diagnostic platform to enhance the hospital’s service capacity.
“Moving forward, we will provide continuous remote imaging diagnostic support, facilitate the third batch of Namibian personnel training in China and dispatch additional Chinese experts,” he added. “We also aim to expand specialised training through online lectures, with project completion and evaluation set for the first half of next year.”
He added that further cooperation in areas such as endoscopic surgery will be explored, based on Walvis Bay Hospital’s specific needs.
The machine was officially handed over on Friday by the Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine.
Speaking on behalf of health minister Dr Esperance Luvindao, executive director of the ministry, Penda Ithindi, said the donation would enhance the delivery of quality healthcare and support early diagnosis and preventative care.
He noted that while the hospital already houses one of the latest digital X-ray machines, the CT scanner would offer more detailed and precise imaging, aiding in accurate diagnosis and treatment monitoring.
“The CT scan technology being introduced at this facility will reduce the burden on other hospitals such as Windhoek Central and Katutura Intermediate hospitals, to which referrals are typically made, and decrease delays in patient management,” said Ithindi.
"The availability of a CT scanner in the Walvis Bay-Swakopmund Complex will empower medical professionals to make faster and more informed decisions, particularly in emergency situations, leading to better prognoses and improved patient outcomes," he added.
In addition to the machine, access will also be provided to specialist services via virtual platforms, which will serve as capacity building for local medical professionals.
International health partners
Lin Shengyou, vice president of Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, explained that in 2020, President Xi Jinping proposed the China-Africa Paired Hospital Cooperation Mechanism, which paved the way for collaboration between Zhejiang and Walvis Bay.
“Through surveys and discussions, we identified medical imaging and critical care as key areas of cooperation. Since its official launch in April 2023, through training programmes that received eight professionals from Walvis Bay Hospital in China and dispatched six of our experts to Namibia, we have achieved skill transfer in radiological scanning as well as treatment and nursing in critical care,” he noted.
Additionally, the China-based hospital has shipped three batches of medical equipment and consumables worth over N$6 million, including the CT scanner, ventilators and patient monitors, and has established a remote imaging diagnostic platform to enhance the hospital’s service capacity.
“Moving forward, we will provide continuous remote imaging diagnostic support, facilitate the third batch of Namibian personnel training in China and dispatch additional Chinese experts,” he added. “We also aim to expand specialised training through online lectures, with project completion and evaluation set for the first half of next year.”
He added that further cooperation in areas such as endoscopic surgery will be explored, based on Walvis Bay Hospital’s specific needs.
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