Shipanga Medical Services and PSG Namibia donated medical equipment and materials to the St. Martins District Hospital at Oshikuku as a gesture of goodwill for the hospital’s professionalism, commitment to public health service – its cleanliness.
Handing over the donation today at Oshikuku Shipanga Holding’s founder and executive chairman Mr Martin Kaali Shipanga said the donation, worth N$60,000, was motivated by the positive impact he felt when he got his second Covid-19 vaccination injection at this hospital.
“I knew Oshikuku as the place I used to pass through on my way to Outapi,” Shipanga said. “For me Outapi was the place to be for a business person. I like Outapi, it has the biggest potential for business growth. When I worked for Nedbank I convinced the people that we had to open a branch at Outapi.
“Nobody believed in Outapi. Everyone was asking, why go to Outapi? I just had a feeling that this is the place. And so when we got there, it was nice, we were making money.”
Shipanga said that he was introduced to Oshikuku a few months ago when he desperately needed a Covid-19 jab. “I had my first injection in Windhoek. And then I travelled to Abidjan, Ivory Coast, where I was called to receive an award for ‘Business Developer of Africa’.
“When I returned to Windhoek I was told that the vaccines were finished. Some people were saying that if you got just one dose you will die. I didn’t want to die. So I was desperate. I came in the north to Dr Iithete, and he said there were no vaccines here either.”
Some weeks later Shipanga received a call from Dr Iithete, who told him to travel all the way to Oshikuku hospital. After explaining his predicament to the police who had erected a roadblock a few kilometres from Oshikuku as a result of the Covid-19 travel restrictions between regions, he was let through.
“So I came here at the hospital and I got my injection. I was not going to die. I felt so good,” Shipanga related to a group of close to 20 people who included medical personnel and some other staff of the hospital.
“Apart from the injection, one thing I went away with from this hospital is that the place is so clean. Even if you don’t have everything, at least the place is clean and the people are friendly and professional.”
In Windhoek Shipanga talked to the manager of PSG Namibia about his experience at Oshikuku, and that he felt that they could do something for the hospital.
Before long they made a decision to have their companies donate medical equipment and materials which included an oxygen-flow measuring gadget, ECG machine, Blood Pressure monitor machine, oxymeters, masks and sanitisers all to the value of N$60,000.
“This is our little contribution. We will continue to share with many other people. The commitment is there,” Shipanga said.
Former Oshikuku constituency councillor, who is now a member of parliament, Mr Modestus Amutse and the Senior Medical Officer of St. Martins District Hospital Dr Samuel Awe thanked Shipanga Medical Services and PSG Namibia for their donation.
In the photo: From left is the Oshikuku Parish’s Father John Paul Nghikevali, Mr Henry Mutushi of Uukwambi Traditional Authority, MP Modestus Amutse, businessman Martin K. Shipanga, hospital’s matron Ms Christine Mayungo and Dr Samuel Awe, showing off one of the donated medical equipment.
