The Okongo District Hospital in Ohangwena Region is still without an operating theatre, which Health Director John Hango says remains a major obstacle to the adequate provision of health care systems in the region.

The non-availability of a theatre at the hospital has resulted in staff making use of the casualty or any other rooms available to conduct minor operations.

More serious cases, like caesarean sections, are referred to Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital, which is 200 kilometres away.

Ohangwena Health Director John Hango told nbc News that the district hospital has also been referring patients needing urgent operations to either Onandjokwe or Eenhana since 2015.

The small room reserved for an operating theatre has no single machine.

Okongo district hospital was built as a health centre, but it is currently operating as a district hospital with insufficient consulting rooms.

Doctors at that hospital are operating in two consulting rooms. There is a need for at least four more consulting rooms to enable the hospital to offer effective service delivery to patients.

Hango also spoke about the growing population-to-staff ratio, which is not responsive to the increasing number of patients.