A Rotary club relationship between the Swakopmund Rotary Club and the Kawasaki North Rotary Club in Japan has yielded a donation of two ambulances to the Swakopmund Municipality by the latter.

President of the Swakopmund Rotary Club, Raimar Von Hase, said the initiative came about in 2019, when the Kawasaki Rotary club offered to partner with them to donate a refurbished ambulance to Swakopmund, after a recommendation from the Namibian Ambassador to Japan, Morven Luswenyo.

“We would like to thank the people and government of Japan for your commitment to Namibia, through the assistance you have availed to us. We are glad that the Swakopmund Municipality has accepted to take over the responsibility of the vehicles, which will assist the town greatly,” Von Hase said.

The refurbishment and transportation of the vehicles from Japan to Namibia is a joint venture between the Kawasaki Rotary Club, the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Diplomacy and the Japanese Embassy in Namibia.

The vehicles, worth N. dollars 250 000, which were officially handed over here on Thursday, will enhance service delivery as well as improve access to healthcare for the inhabitants of the Erongo Region, according to Governor Neville Andre Itope at the occasion.

“It is through this type of support from friendly nations like japan that the Government of Namibia is able to deliver on its national development agenda,” Itope noted.

Meanwhile, Swakopmund Mayor, Louisa Kativa, said the ambulances will improve the town’s capacity to respond to medical emergencies and to save the lives of residents.

Japanese Ambassador to Namibia, Hideaki Harada, at the same event expressed hope that the ambulances are a positive response to the town’s medical emergencies.

“All residents of Swakopmund, especially those who are most vulnerable in the society, will be able to benefit from the town’s emergency medical services without depending on private service providers.

I would like to request all the policymakers to ensure this service is readily provided to those helpless segments in the society,” Harada urged.

The ambassador further paid tribute to the late Adri Goosen, the former Chief Fire Brigade Officer in Swakopmund.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency