Hardap Governor, Reverend Salomon April, said the region has thus far vaccinated 13 per cent of those who are eligible to get vaccinated against the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
April revealed this while delivering his second State of the Region Address (SORA) at Mariental on Wednesday, in which he highlighted the region’s challenges and achievements during the 2020/21 financial year.
As of Tuesday, the governor said 9 531 people had received their first dose of AstraZeneca and Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines, while 286 people had been fully vaccinated.
While encouraging the inhabitants to get vaccinated, April revealed that as of Wednesday, 7 608 people had tested positive for COVID-19 in the region, 7 191 had recovered and 306 had succumbed to the virus.
“I encourage all residents of the region to go for COVID 19 vaccination, as this is the only way in which we can save precious lives,” urged the governor.
The governor said a high care facility for the treatment of COVID-19 cases was constructed to the tune of N.dollars 2.8 million at Mariental and in addition, the Mariental hospital received prefabricated structures, which include a laboratory, pharmacy and septic theatre valued at N.dollars 5.8 million.
April also revealed that the region’s measles and rubella vaccination rate stands at 78 per cent, which is relatively low, compared to the 90 per cent coverage as per the World Health Organisation standard.
“I therefore urge all parents to take their children for immunisation according to the schedule on the child’s health passport. During the period under review, 97 per cent of babies born from HIV-positive mothers tested negative, whilst our HIV treatment coverage has increased from 81 per cent to 98 per cent,” added April.
April said government allocated N.dollars 29.5 million to improve different facilities at schools in the region to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Of the N.dollars 29.5 million an amount of N.dollars 17 million was spent on construction and renovation of ablution facilities at 22 schools in the region, while N.dollars 12.5 million was used to renovate hostels, and a further N.dollars 122 000 was used for water provision at Groendraai Primary School and JW Mouton Primary Schools.
The governor said during the period under review, N.dollars 12 million was spent to renovate the Mariental Secondary School, while N.dollars 6.8 million was spent on renovations at Dr Lemmer Secondary School.
Government, during the period under review, spent N.dollars 1.3 million for the school feeding programme, which feeds 9 151 learners at various schools in the region and also provided maintenance, special maintenance and foster care to 11 308 beneficiaries in the region, amounting to N.dollars 2.8 million, April added.
Source: Namibia Press Agency
