Reports from Namibia’s Ministry of Health confirm that several people who died from the novel coronavirus in recent weeks were reported to have underlying ailments.
This has prompted the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Services, to intensify its community health programmes.
The group has dispatched its mobile clinic vans to several regions across the country, offering free health check-ups to communities.
At Walvis Bay, community members of Kuisebmond flocked to the WBCG mobile clinic at Ekutu market for a general health check-up. The one-day free community health initiative include HIV testing and those who did not want to do it on-site were given home testing kits.
“We cannot neglect other illnesses because of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said a health worker on site.
WBCG Wellness Service project manager, Edward Shivute revealed that the exercise is conducted to help detect underlying ailments and compromise people’s immune systems should they contract Covid-19.
“This will help those in those situations to prepare if they know early that they have underlying ailments. If these ailments are detected early, they can access treatment early or if they contract Covid-19, their chances of survival are increased. For us, it makes more sense to continue with those services. Otherwise, we all focus on Covid-19 and people will be dying because of their [comproised] immune system,” said Shivute.
Shivute added that WBCG is also providing a mobile van to the health ministry with the Covid-19 vaccination drive in the Erongo region. The van will move throughout the region until 31 August.