Unam hands over oxygen production plant
The University of Namibia (Unam) recently handed over a medical oxygen production plant to the health ministry in Nkurenkuru, Kavango West Region.The plant was sponsored by the Welsh government through the Phoenix Project of Cardiff University to address the shortage of medical oxygen across Namibia.
This was made possible with support and assistance from the First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, the head of the Africa desk, as well as Cardiff University and the executive dean of health sciences and veterinary medicine, Professor Judith Hall.
This donation forms part of the university’s flagship corporate social responsibility project, namely Unam Cares. Unam, with financial support from the Welsh government, managed to hand over two medical oxygen tanks to Grootfontein and Gobabis, and two medical oxygen production plants to Katima Mulilo and Nkurenkuru, respectively.
Dr Rachel Freeman, head of Unam Cares and senior lecturer in social work, stated that the need for an oxygen production plant is due to the insufficient supply of medical oxygen experienced by patients during the pandemic in 2021.
"This shortage prompted the university’s leadership who, with the assistance of the founder of the Phoenix Project of Cardiff University, Professor Judith Hall, solicited international aid from the Welsh government to the value of N$20 million to assist the ministry of health and social services to address the shortage of medical oxygen in Namibia."
Going the extra mile
Unam vice-chancellor, Professor Kenneth Matengu, said this action was necessitated by the university’s mission to contribute to the achievement of national and international development goals.
Although the university is in the business of education, Unam’s management decided to go beyond the call of teaching to be a relevant and engaged university that responds to the needs of society through its corporate social responsibility arm.
He stated that "we have decided not to only be a qualification production factory where we train and issue qualifications, but we want to do something meaningful that impacts and changes lives for the better."
Matengu added that, as a result, they worked with the health ministry in assisting with Covid-19 public health campaigns, Covid-19 mobile vaccination clinics, and the elimination of the hepatitis-E epidemic, which the country has successfully achieved.
The handover was officiated by Unam in close partnership with the health ministry, who were the recipients of the oxygen plant in Nkurenkuru, and witnessed by the regional governor of Kavango West Region, Sirkka Ausiku.
The Chairperson of the Kavango West management committee, Sivaku Sikongo, expressed his immense gratitude to the university and Welsh government for the donation, which will go a long way in improving the quality of health of the people in the region.