Health worker walks to serve Namibia’s remote Ondore village
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
Kakuva Uetuezembisa, a community health worker in Ondore village, Kunene region, Namibia, travels between homes to provide care for over 400 residents, including 79 children.
He checks on children, visits pregnant women, and connects families with district hospitals when they need more advanced treatment. Uetuezembisa expressed commitment to the villagers, stating he feels a personal responsibility to help those who have no other healthcare access.
Accessing healthcare remains difficult for Ondore residents, as limited transport options cause patients to miss appointments or face long waits at overcrowded facilities. Even when people reach hospitals, they sometimes find necessary medicines unavailable. Uetuezembisa can identify health problems and encourage treatment, but he cannot guarantee services will be available when patients arrive. Despite these challenges, Uetuezembisa reported that no children in Ondore currently suffer from malnutrition.
He receives support from UNICEF, including equipment and work attire, and Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services Hambelela Ndjaleka affirmed the importance of community health workers in remote areas. Residents of Ondore requested a local health post to reduce travel distances, and the deputy minister committed to reviewing their request.
