RUNDU - The executive director in the health ministry Ben Nangombe says the Rundu maternity ward that has been under construction since 2014 will soon be completed as the Central Procurement Board recently resolved issues that delayed its completion.

One of the contentious issues was the contracted amount.
The health facility, which has been standing incomplete for months had a construction budget of N$28 million in 2014 that was aimed at bringing an end to a situation where women in labour and those who have given birth, together with their babies, are accommodated on the floor  due to lack of space.

“What I can tell you for now is that we have moved and signed a contract with the contractor to go back on site to complete the remaining work,” Nangombe said Tuesday.

“We went back to the Central Procurement Board to seek approval to increase the contract amount which was granted. Summer Stone Constuctions is soon to go back on site to complete the project. Now that the contract was signed, next is for them to prepare a work program to indicate exactly what milestones are to be reached within the remaining time. Our requirement was that this must be done in not more than four months, that is our instruction but we want to see this sorted out sooner because this has been standing for too long,” he added.

The beds are already in the wards, the water is running and the electricity was installed but disconnected as it was not in use but can be reconnected. The major outstanding issues were construction of the theatre, the medical gases and the tiling of some floors in addition to incorporating additional works for the theatre and neonatal unit as per new health and social services standards.

In May 2014 construction of the new maternity ward at the Rundu Intermediate Hospital was started with the aim of improving maternity services in the Kavango East Region. But years later the construction is yet to be finalised due to delays resulting from a dispute between the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the contractor.