The Minister of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Emma Theofelus, has briefed the nation on a series of recent Cabinet resolutions aimed at strengthening Namibia's emergency preparedness and response mechanisms, particularly in light of the recent flooding in some parts of the country.
The Minister confirmed Cabinet's approval of the National Emergency Telecommunications Plan, a coordinated strategy intended to enhance communication during disasters.
The plan aims to facilitate the exchange of information on national disaster risks and to improve the use of telecommunications and information technology for reporting disaster events across all levels of government, as well as between public and private institutions.
Theofelus said that the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministries of Works and ICT have been directed to take full responsibility for the implementation of the plan.
The minister also announced key decisions taken in response to a social report compiled between April 8th and 10th on the situation of flood-affected residents.
Cabinet has instructed all offices, ministries, and agencies to extend coordinated support to the affected communities.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has been tasked with providing prescription medication and essential healthcare services to prevent the spread of malaria.
In addition, both the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and Health are to ensure the availability of chronic patient care facilities at all relevant centres.
Traditional and local authorities are to be engaged to allocate land on higher ground for the permanent resettlement of displaced households and the operation of mobile hospitals, enabling regional councils to make accurate and timely decisions regarding emergency services.
Two further positions were announced: the Ministries of Education and Rural Development are expected to publicly outline the conditions under which helicopters may be deployed to reach flood-isolated households.
The Ministry of Environment's task force has been instructed to ensure that environmental rehabilitation efforts serve not only immediate recovery but also as a long-term driver of economic growth and resilience against future climate-related disasters.