The Minister of Health and Social Services on Monday received medical supplies worth N.dollars 2.5 million donated by the University of Namibia (UNAM) in association with Cardiff University and the Phoenix Project supported by the Welsh government.
The donation which forms part of N.dollars 166.9 million grants to UNAM and Namibia from Wales consist of consumables for staff protection during the COVID-19 campaign, including vaccination exercises for the Correctional Service.
Health Minister Kalumbi Shangula said the donation will contribute to the provision of improved health care services in the context of COVID-19 and other existing programmes.
He said while fighting the pandemic, it is also important to safeguard against the erosion and reversal of the gains made in the provision of public healthcare services through programmes such as combatting non-communicable diseases, as well as improving and expanding the ministry’s capacity to effectively provid quality health care.
Shangula said tertiary education intuitions are crucial partners in those efforts.
“We continue to count on our academic institutions, especially tertiary education institutions to find practical solutions to the challenges facing our country. The application of science and technology through research will provide unprecedented breakthroughs that will foster scientific advancement and technology,” he said.
UNAM Vice Chancellor, Prof Kenneth Matengu on his part said the university’s vision has set them on a journey of transition from being a solely teaching-based university, to one that is driven to be a sustainable international hub of excellence in higher education, training, research and innovation.
This new vision, he said, is what has compelled and persuaded them to be at the forefront of assisting government efforts to deal with national challenges.
“What this means, is that, as the institution with the highest amount of brainpower, we are no longer confined to only perfect lessons in the classroom, we desire to be outside as well, and be government’s shoulder to lean on in terms of addressing national challenges because we have the expertise,” Matengu said.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency
