A total of 29 malaria cases were reported at the Oshakati Intermediate Hospital in December 2023.

This is a stark increase of 25 cases over the same month last year.

The Oshakati Intermediate Hospital's Medical Superintendent, Dr. Ruben Kanime, says of the 29 cases recorded in December 2023, 22 were tested at the hospital, while seven were referred from district hospitals.

The increase, he says, was sparked by good rain received earlier in the year.

The management of Oshakati Intermediate Hospital in the Oshana Region is advocating for the establishment of a mental health hospital in Oshana to address the high volume of mental health patients who are currently being directed to Oshakati Intermediate Hospital on a daily basis.

They made the call during the visit of members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Social Development, and Family Affairs to the hospital.