Nairobi:Mankumpi Constituency: Residents are urging for the expansion of the Katjinakatji clinic due to issues with cramped facilities, lack of privacy, and insufficient staffing, which they believe are compromising the quality of care.

According to Namibia Press Agency, community members have expressed concerns about the lack of confidentiality in the clinic, where the open space allows everyone to see each other, possibly leading to reluctance among patients to discuss their health issues due to stigma.

The clinic currently has one room serving multiple functions, including for the nurse, patients, and those in serious condition, which challenges staff to meet diverse needs simultaneously. Community representative Uoruunda Vovitha Jopa highlighted these issues during a recent engagement with the community by Kavango West Governor Verna Sinimbo. The clinic serves 5,767 people and attends to at least 50 clients daily.

Jopa noted that the clinic has two nurses, with additional support from a neighboring community's nurse due to the high workload. The clinic operates weekdays from 08:00 to 17:00, with staff available for emergencies after hours.

Residents also mentioned that the clinic's ambulance is out of service, forcing reliance on an ambulance from Rundu, located approximately 90 kilometers away. This single ambulance serves multiple facilities in the district.

While they expressed gratitude to the Health Ministry for building the clinic in 2003, residents emphasized that it no longer meets the community's needs due to population growth.

Mankumpi Constituency councillor Lukas Muha stated that the Ministry of Health and Social Services has been repeatedly asked to consider establishing a health center at Mururani, a distant village with a school and hostel for marginalized children. He also stressed the necessity for upgrading the Katjinakatji clinic, where all activities, including examinations and deliveries, occur in one room while waiting for an ambulance.

Additionally, residents raised concerns about water quality after NamWater drilled two boreholes at Katjinakatji Senior Secondary School in May 2026 but deemed the water unfit for human consumption. Promises for treatment or cleaning have yet to be fulfilled.