||Kharas Governor, Aletha Frederick, has said the region is running out of ventilators and mortuary space as Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases continue to surge.
Frederick, who was speaking during a press conference here on Tuesday, said with the increase number of hospitalisations, there is additional pressure on oxygen-generating systems due to the high demand because of rising COVID-19 cases, as well as other general patients who require oxygen, which means more patients require mechanical ventilation.
“Despite the ministry procuring portable oxygen cylinders to assist patients, along with the standing intrapatch supplies, the supply remains insufficient for the increasing number of patients,” said Frederick.
The governor explained that one patient uses four 9.5kg mobile cylinders, costing the government about N.dollars 1 600 per day.
“The suppliers on contract for the health ministry cannot cope with the demand. I urge the business community and individuals with the means to assist the government in this regard, the fight against the virus should be a collective one,” she said.
Frederick further said the region only has a mortuary capacity of 27 storage spaces.
“We are running out of storage space and at times making use of private mortuaries. Therefore, we would like to ask the families to assist the ministry by burying their loved ones within the required time frame allowed by the regulation pertaining to COVID-19 burials, which is 10 days,” said Frederick.
||Kharas had by Tuesday recorded 6 066 COVID-19 cases and 132 deaths, while 29 people were hospitalised. About 5 136 people had been vaccinated with their first dose, while 1 230 had received their second dose.
Speaking at the same occasion, the Namibian Police Force’s ||Kharas Regional commander, David Indongo, said the police are concerned about the movement of people during curfew hours, adding that since 16 June this year, at least 19 people had been arrested for contravening the COVID-19 regulations.
“Young people continue to move around unnecessarily. People are still not complying with the wearing of the masks and gatherings are still happening in big numbers, especially funerals. The elders who are at high risk are the ones attending these funerals in big numbers,” he stressed.
Source: Namibia Press Agency
