Staff Reporter
THE Ministry of Health and Social Services has inaugurated a new N$30.5 million Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Swakopmund District Hospital, a development aimed at strengthening specialised newborn care in the Erongo Region and reducing neonatal referrals to Windhoek.
The state-of-the-art facility was officially opened by Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, Hambeleleni Ndjaleka, alongside the Erongo Regional Governor, healthcare professionals, stakeholders and community members.
The new 28-bed unit significantly expands the hospital’s neonatal capacity, which previously had only four incubators despite the facility handling more than 5,500 births annually. The expansion is expected to improve access to critical care for premature and seriously ill newborns in the region.
Photos: Governor of Erongo Region (Facebook)/Ministry of Health and Social Services-Namibia:
The NICU includes 12 standard care beds, six high-care beds, six intensive care beds and four isolation beds. In addition, a 12-bed Mother’s Lodge has been established to support mothers during the recovery period of their newborns.
Health authorities say the upgraded facility forms part of broader government efforts to expand specialised healthcare services and upgrade health infrastructure across the Erongo Region and the country.
With the new unit now operational, the number of newborns requiring transfer to Windhoek for specialised treatment is expected to decrease significantly, allowing families to access critical care closer to home.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Erongo Regional Governor commended the Ministry of Health and Social Services, healthcare workers and development partners for their role in delivering the facility, describing it as an investment in the region’s future and in child survival and wellbeing.
The Governor said the NICU represents not only improved infrastructure but also strengthened commitment to health equity and ensuring that every child has a better start in life.
