Onandjokwe’s new maternity ward almost complete
• ...Sees 7 500 babies born a year
The new facility will house two theatres, a high-care unit for mothers and babies as well as a department for emergencies.
Henriette Lamprecht
Windhoek
The construction of a maternity ward at the Onandjokwe State Hospital is almost complete. The construction is valued at approximately N$59 million and upon completion, it will be the largest maternity ward in public health facilities with a bed capacity of 120.
Currently, the ward can accommodate 70 beds.
The new facility will also house two theatres, a high-care unit for mothers and babies as well as a department for emergencies. According to Dr Saad Rwehumbiza, the hospital’s acting medical superintendent, more than 7 500 babies are born there every year.
“Currently, Onandjokwe is number one in terms of mothers who give birth here. The minimum number of babies born here is at least one every hour. So, we are talking about a minimum of around 700 babies every month, and that is with the current infrastructure,” he said.
Quality of healthcare
According to him, this number is expected to increase when the new maternity ward is completed and officially opened.
The purpose of the expansion and renovation is to increase the quality of healthcare and the safety of mothers and babies, with new diagnostic and ventilation equipment included in the department’s expansion. Onandjokwe’s capacity for patients requiring intensive care has also been expanded from the current four beds in the intensive care unit. These beds are currently mostly occupied by babies.
The capacity for neonatal intensive care was already increased by five beds in 2019.
Windhoek
The construction of a maternity ward at the Onandjokwe State Hospital is almost complete. The construction is valued at approximately N$59 million and upon completion, it will be the largest maternity ward in public health facilities with a bed capacity of 120.
Currently, the ward can accommodate 70 beds.
The new facility will also house two theatres, a high-care unit for mothers and babies as well as a department for emergencies. According to Dr Saad Rwehumbiza, the hospital’s acting medical superintendent, more than 7 500 babies are born there every year.
“Currently, Onandjokwe is number one in terms of mothers who give birth here. The minimum number of babies born here is at least one every hour. So, we are talking about a minimum of around 700 babies every month, and that is with the current infrastructure,” he said.
Quality of healthcare
According to him, this number is expected to increase when the new maternity ward is completed and officially opened.
The purpose of the expansion and renovation is to increase the quality of healthcare and the safety of mothers and babies, with new diagnostic and ventilation equipment included in the department’s expansion. Onandjokwe’s capacity for patients requiring intensive care has also been expanded from the current four beds in the intensive care unit. These beds are currently mostly occupied by babies.
The capacity for neonatal intensive care was already increased by five beds in 2019.
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