Blue Kunene renders humanitarian aid
Two people were airlifted from the Kunene Region to the Oshakati Intermediate Hospital after military doctors forming part of the SADC joint air force exercise Blue Kunene found them to be critically ill.
More than 1 500 people received medical treatment and 250 tons of food was distributed in the three constituencies of the Kunene Region.
The Kunene governor, Angelika Muharukua, said the exercise was vital to her mountainous region, where many communities are not reachable by road.
“Our region is made up of mountains and people live behind those mountains. There are no roads to those places. During this exercise medical services and food relief aid were airlifted to those places.
“This was a blessing to us because in the past we used to hire a military helicopter but this time it was done for free,” Muharukua said. Muharukua said the region needed more medical personnel to visit remote villages. There is only one tarred road in Kunene and many areas are inaccessible.
Botswana, South Africa, Angola, Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Namibia contributed military aircraft, medical equipment and personnel to the exercise that started on 20 August and will end on Thursday.
The exercise was done in conjunction with the Office of the Prime Minister's Disaster and Risk Management Unit, which contributed donated food aid.
Mobile clinics were set up in inaccessible parts of the Epupa, Opuwo Rural and Sesfontein constituencies. When teams went to distribute food aid, they took along medical teams and equipment.
“Serious cases that were identified during this exercise were referred to the Opuwo District Hospital for proper treatment. We only found two complicated cases, where patients were airlifted to Oshakati Intermediate Hospital. Most of the people were diagnosed with hypertension, arthritis, dental problems and upper respiratory infections,” a source said.
During the official closing ceremony in Oshakati yesterday, the chief of the Namibian Defence Force, Lieutenant-General John Mutwa, said the exercise was a success despite some challenges that were experienced. He said he wished the next 'Blue' exercise would improve on the problems that were identified.
Mutwa said 23 aircraft were committed to the operation and distributed 250 tons of food aid to remote communities. The supplies were airlifted from Windhoek to Ondangwa and then from Ondangwa to Kunene.
“I am confident that you have learned valuable operational lessons to take on board for your future exercises and indeed for real-life emergencies,” Mutwa told the participants.
ILENI NANDJATO
More than 1 500 people received medical treatment and 250 tons of food was distributed in the three constituencies of the Kunene Region.
The Kunene governor, Angelika Muharukua, said the exercise was vital to her mountainous region, where many communities are not reachable by road.
“Our region is made up of mountains and people live behind those mountains. There are no roads to those places. During this exercise medical services and food relief aid were airlifted to those places.
“This was a blessing to us because in the past we used to hire a military helicopter but this time it was done for free,” Muharukua said. Muharukua said the region needed more medical personnel to visit remote villages. There is only one tarred road in Kunene and many areas are inaccessible.
Botswana, South Africa, Angola, Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Namibia contributed military aircraft, medical equipment and personnel to the exercise that started on 20 August and will end on Thursday.
The exercise was done in conjunction with the Office of the Prime Minister's Disaster and Risk Management Unit, which contributed donated food aid.
Mobile clinics were set up in inaccessible parts of the Epupa, Opuwo Rural and Sesfontein constituencies. When teams went to distribute food aid, they took along medical teams and equipment.
“Serious cases that were identified during this exercise were referred to the Opuwo District Hospital for proper treatment. We only found two complicated cases, where patients were airlifted to Oshakati Intermediate Hospital. Most of the people were diagnosed with hypertension, arthritis, dental problems and upper respiratory infections,” a source said.
During the official closing ceremony in Oshakati yesterday, the chief of the Namibian Defence Force, Lieutenant-General John Mutwa, said the exercise was a success despite some challenges that were experienced. He said he wished the next 'Blue' exercise would improve on the problems that were identified.
Mutwa said 23 aircraft were committed to the operation and distributed 250 tons of food aid to remote communities. The supplies were airlifted from Windhoek to Ondangwa and then from Ondangwa to Kunene.
“I am confident that you have learned valuable operational lessons to take on board for your future exercises and indeed for real-life emergencies,” Mutwa told the participants.
ILENI NANDJATO
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article