Ray of hope for expectant moms

The Social Security Commission (SSC) yesterday announced that it will spend N$40 million on shelters for expectant mothers at Outapi, Katima Mulilo, Rundu and Aussenkehr. The plight of pregnant women camping outside state hospitals before going into labour has been widely reported by Namibian Sun.Especially in northern Namibia, such women travel long distances from their homes to camp next to the closest district hospital that provides safe normal and caesarean deliveries.New SSC boss Milka Mungunda yesterday said the SSC would be setting up centres in the four towns because of the extreme conditions expectant mothers endure there. N$40 million will be spent on erecting these facilities while an additional N$3 million will be dedicated to state-of-the-art medical equipment such as cardiograph and ultrasound machinery. “This initiative is a response to the president’s call of inclusivity and to improve the lives of ordinary Namibians while fighting poverty at the same time,” Mungunda said. Namibian Sun has repeatedly reported about a campsite for pregnant women next to the Outapi district hospital. The site was established because of a lack of facilities in the region. Clinics only deal with emergency deliveries. As a result pregnant women seek shelter near the hospital because the majority live far away and cannot make it to the hospital on time when they go into labour.The campsite has developed into a shantytown of sorts, with jobseekers from Angola also camping there. Omusati Governor Erigius Endjala previously complained that the site had turned into “a Sodom and Gomorrah”. “They don’t come to the campsite pregnant, but they leave that place pregnant,” Endjala was quoted as saying.“The majority of those at the campsite are not pregnant women, but Angolans who come into the country to look for jobs. They just put their tents up and camp next to the pregnant women. “We have not chased them away in the name of solidarity and we don’t want to be harsh to people experiencing difficulties in their lives, but the truth is many staying there aren’t pregnant.” In one case, added Endjala, it was found that a young woman who had been kicked out of her home by her parents moved to the campsite with her boyfriend. The SSC will be spearheading the shelter project, with the Ministry of Health and Social Services taking over at a later stage. National medical aidMungunda also announced that plans to introduce national pension and medical benefit funds are at an advanced stage. The National Protection Fund (NPF) is set to be implemented in the current financial year. The National Medical Benefit Fund (NMBF) has been deferred for further consultations. The establishment of the NPF, which would provide pension benefits for all employees in Namibia, was approved by Cabinet in 1994.GARWIN BEUKES

Ray of hope for expectant moms

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-19

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Ray of hope for expectant moms

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-19

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