N$4 million ambulance donation to boost emergency healthcare
Emergency healthcare services in rural Namibia received a significant boost on Monday after the Namport Social Investment Fund (NSIF) donated two fully equipped ambulances worth N$4 million to the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
One ambulance has been permanently allocated to the Otjozondjupa settlement of Kalkfeld, where residents have long depended on ambulances travelling more than 60 kilometres from Otjiwarongo during medical emergencies. The second vehicle will be deployed by the ministry to a region facing the greatest operational need.
Speaking at the handover ceremony in Windhoek, NSIF chairperson Amos Shiyuka said the donation reflects the fund's commitment to improving access to life-saving healthcare services, particularly in underserved communities. "It is really all about saving lives and assisting our communities," he said.
Shiyuka explained that the NSIF, established in 2006 as Namport's corporate social responsibility arm, was founded on the principle that the organisation's responsibility extends beyond its commercial operations. "The NSIF was established nearly two decades ago on a simple but powerful premise: that a great institution like Namport does not move cargo alone. It moves people. It moves communities. It moves nations forward," he said.
He added that the fund believes economic success comes with a responsibility to support national development. "When government calls on us as State-Owned Enterprises, the private sector and individuals through the voices of communities, we respond to their needs to the best of our ability."
The decision to fund the ambulances followed an appeal submitted by the Mee Ndiku & Rev. Ngeno Nakamela Trust in October last year, highlighting the lack of dedicated emergency medical transport in Kalkfeld.
According to Shiyuka, the request detailed how long travel distances had repeatedly turned medical emergencies into tragedies. Central to the appeal was the story of Reverend Ngeno Nakamela, whose wife died in 2024 after experiencing repeated delays in accessing healthcare. "That letter did not read like an ordinary funding request. It read like a testimony," Shiyuka said.
He explained that Reverend Nakamela's wife missed two scheduled medical appointments because no ambulance or private transport was available to take her to Otjiwarongo State Hospital. "By the time an ambulance finally became available, it was too late. That story stayed with us. It is the kind of story that no community should have to carry."
Shiyuka said the Kalkfeld ambulance would serve as both a practical intervention and a lasting tribute. "We trust that this ambulance will stand as a living memory to your wife and as a permanent safeguard for the people of Kalkfeld."
Receiving the donation, Minister of Health and Social Services Dr Esperance Luvindao said Namibia's vast geography continues to challenge the delivery of emergency medical services. "When a mother goes into obstructed labour in a remote settlement, or a father suffers a stroke many kilometres from the nearest hospital, the distance between them and medical care becomes the measure of their survival," she said.
Luvindao noted that the ministry had already expanded the national ambulance fleet by procuring and distributing 36 fully equipped ambulances during the 2025/26 financial year. She added that government plans to acquire another 30 ambulances during the 2026/27 financial year to further strengthen emergency response capacity.
She also announced plans to establish a National Air Ambulance Service to improve access to emergency care in remote areas where long travel distances continue to delay treatment.
Describing the NSIF contribution as an example of meaningful corporate social investment, Luvindao urged more private sector organisations to partner with government in addressing healthcare challenges. "The health of Namibia is our collective responsibility. We invite others to follow the blueprint set by Namport through structured and accountable partnerships that address specific community needs," she said.
Shiyuka echoed the call, saying national development requires collaboration between government, state-owned enterprises and the private sector. He also highlighted the broader impact of the NSIF, which has invested more than N$100 million in community development projects across all 14 regions since its establishment.
The Kalkfeld ambulance will operate through the local clinic under the Ministry of Health and Social Services, while the Mee Ndiku & Rev. Ngeno Nakamela Trust has committed to covering its servicing, maintenance and general upkeep, helping ensure its long-term availability for the community.
