Cabinet has directed the Ministry of Health and Social Services to increase the capacity of its medical gas generating system and improve the pressure on theatres, intensive care units and isolation units in order to accommodate more COVID-19 patients.

This was announced by Minister of Information, Communication and Technology Peya Mushelenga on Thursday while providing an update on the latest Cabinet decisions taken this week.

He said Cabinet took note of the current epidemiological status of the pandemic in Namibia and directed the Ministry of Health to create additional space in health facilities that will be used to admit COVID-19 patients, while at the same time recruiting additional health workers to support the national COVID-19 preparedness and response team.

The ministry is also expected to mobilise for the allocation of additional resources to strengthen COVID-19 testing capacity.

On a different matter, Mushelenga announced that Cabinet has also directed the Ministry of Mines and Energy to develop an efficient and effective public relations strategy with a communication plan for stakeholder engagement on the ReconAfrica drilling project in the Kavango Basin. The strategy should include constituency councillors, traditional leaders and local communities in the Kavango East, Kavango West and Zambezi regions.

“Cabinet directed the ministries of Mines and Energy; Environment, Forestry and Tourism; as well as Agriculture, Water and Land Reform to jointly address the concerns regarding the issuance of permits and lease agreements for the drilling project in the Kavango Basin and all other future drilling projects in communal areas with aquifers,” said Mushelenga.

He added that Cabinet has also directed the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources to grant a hake quota of 2 400 metric tonnes to Hangana Seafood Products for the recruitment of 290 employees who lost their jobs as a result of industrial action.

Source: Namibia Press Agency