Old Omaruru hospital left to decay decades after gifted to govt

The former Omaruru hospital, once the town’s only medical facility, now stands derelict – its wards looted, windows shattered and copper pipes stripped – despite having been handed to government “on a silver platter” by the local community decades ago.Built through private initiative before independence and later gifted to the state, the hospital served generations before closing when a new government facility opened. Since then, the property has deteriorated.Residents describe it as a “sad sight” and question why it has been left to ruin.A cornerstone at the site records that the building was officially laid by the then Administrator of South West Africa, D.T. du P. Viljoen, on 7 June 1958.The inscription indicates the hospital dates back to the late 1950s, during the colonial administration, and was one of Omaruru’s earliest formal health facilities.Vandalism, unsecure The structure – now decades old – represents part of the town’s mid-century civic expansion and still bears architectural features typical of that era.“There’s not a crack here,” one long-time resident said while walking through the complex. “You can just redo the roof and chase new pipes and cables," the resident said, preferring not to be quoted by name. Much of the structure remains sound, though the ceilings have collapsed after vandals removed copper fittings.Sections of the old nurses’ home are still occupied, but most of the site is unsecured and vandalised.“The doors and frames are gone. They’ve taken out every metal pipe,” another resident said. “This was the only hospital until that other one was built.”Forgotten gift Once a symbol of community effort, the property has become a dumping ground and shelter for squatters.Some locals allege the site is also used to dispose of medical waste from the newer hospital nearby.“This is not from back then,” a resident said, pointing to piles of discarded medical bottles. “This is from now.”The main buildings still stand, their walls solid, their layout intact – a reminder of the town’s early investment in public health.“It’s a pity,” one observer noted. “This was built by the community, for the community, and given as a gift to government. And now look at it.”For many, the disused hospital has become a symbol of wasted infrastructure.Some residents suggest that the complex could easily be restored and repurposed for community use, small-scale health services, or tourism if attention were given to securing and maintaining what remains.As one resident summed it up: “It’s not even about blame. It’s just sad that it was allowed to get to this.”

Old Omaruru hospital left to decay decades after gifted to govt

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-17

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Old Omaruru hospital left to decay decades after gifted to govt

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-17

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