Unwavering passion at Ondangwa Private Hospital
In 2014, Dr Happy Musweu and his wife, Dr Helena Shuuvuni, both general practitioners, established the Ondangwa Private Hospital after identifying the need for a health facility at the growing northern town.
The hospital started as a maternity hospital, but due to the high demand and the growing number of patients, it was transformed into a 34-bed hospital catering for patients with an assortment of illnesses.
The hospital offers casualty, paediatric, gynaecology, surgery, radiology, pathology and maternity services.
Ondangwa Private Hospital is the second largest private hospital in the north and employs more than 32 doctors, including eight specialists.
According to the hospital's spokesperson, Lucky Kalipa, at the beginning of 2017 they started offering oncology services, which was a first for northern Namibia.
Dr Alex Nkandu is the head of the Oncology Clinic, assisted by Dr Mtabeni Jemu. Nkandu said when he started offering free cancer treatment at the Oshakati Intermediate Hospital, he realised that there was a need to address the high demand considering that every Wednesday there is a bus transporting cancer patients to the Namibian Oncology Centre (NOC) at the Windhoek Central Hospital.
“This is one of the busiest sections of the Oshakati hospital. Patients have to join a long waiting list before getting a chance to go to the oncology clinic at the central hospital in Windhoek. After treatment, patients have to go back onto the waiting list for follow-ups,” said Nkandu.
Nkandu said they established a cancer clinic at the Ondangwa Private Hospital, which is currently offering services including clinical oncology, mammography, chemotherapy services, facilitation of oncology pharmacy and counselling services.
They have over 100 patients under their care.
He said patients can now go for cancer treatment in Windhoek and come to them for follow-up, except for those that require radiation therapy.
“The clinic is of vital importance because we are receiving many referrals from local hospitals in the area. We refer all patients that need to undergo radiation therapy treatment to Windhoek and we take care of the rest,” Nkandu said.
Kalipa said there is a need for a proper cancer care facility, which is why the hospital is expanding the oncology clinic.
“We are hopeful that by the end of the year construction will be completed. We plan to have radiation therapy facilities so that we will be treating all patients here without sending them to Windhoek,” he said.
ILENI NANDJATO
The hospital started as a maternity hospital, but due to the high demand and the growing number of patients, it was transformed into a 34-bed hospital catering for patients with an assortment of illnesses.
The hospital offers casualty, paediatric, gynaecology, surgery, radiology, pathology and maternity services.
Ondangwa Private Hospital is the second largest private hospital in the north and employs more than 32 doctors, including eight specialists.
According to the hospital's spokesperson, Lucky Kalipa, at the beginning of 2017 they started offering oncology services, which was a first for northern Namibia.
Dr Alex Nkandu is the head of the Oncology Clinic, assisted by Dr Mtabeni Jemu. Nkandu said when he started offering free cancer treatment at the Oshakati Intermediate Hospital, he realised that there was a need to address the high demand considering that every Wednesday there is a bus transporting cancer patients to the Namibian Oncology Centre (NOC) at the Windhoek Central Hospital.
“This is one of the busiest sections of the Oshakati hospital. Patients have to join a long waiting list before getting a chance to go to the oncology clinic at the central hospital in Windhoek. After treatment, patients have to go back onto the waiting list for follow-ups,” said Nkandu.
Nkandu said they established a cancer clinic at the Ondangwa Private Hospital, which is currently offering services including clinical oncology, mammography, chemotherapy services, facilitation of oncology pharmacy and counselling services.
They have over 100 patients under their care.
He said patients can now go for cancer treatment in Windhoek and come to them for follow-up, except for those that require radiation therapy.
“The clinic is of vital importance because we are receiving many referrals from local hospitals in the area. We refer all patients that need to undergo radiation therapy treatment to Windhoek and we take care of the rest,” Nkandu said.
Kalipa said there is a need for a proper cancer care facility, which is why the hospital is expanding the oncology clinic.
“We are hopeful that by the end of the year construction will be completed. We plan to have radiation therapy facilities so that we will be treating all patients here without sending them to Windhoek,” he said.
ILENI NANDJATO
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