Renovations of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and dialysis centre at Rundu Intermediate Hospital have once again come to a standstill after the contractor failed to deliver.

Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare toured the hospital in September last year and called for the contractor to be removed after work had come to a halt.

“The award was given to a contractor in February 2024, with completion scheduled for October 2024. The contractor failed to deliver, yet the contract was extended to the same contractor. As a result, for a full year, the service has not been delivered. What we are saying going forward is that the ministry must cancel that contract and award it to a new contractor.”

Just a week after the Prime Minister’s visit, renovations resumed, but the progress did not last long.

A site agent from Kunene River Construction and Electrical, Isaac Mafudza, told NBC News at the time that, if all went well, the work would be completed between November and December 2025.

However, those promises have not materialised, as the project has once again stalled.

The renovations included converting the old maternity ward into a seven-bed ICU, as the current ICU can only accommodate four beds.

Another section, known as High Care One and Two, was also planned to accommodate seven beds, while the dialysis centre was expected to have five beds.

The hospital serves both the Kavango West and Zambezi regions. ICU capacity has long been a challenge, and patients requiring dialysis services have often been referred to private institutions.

The ICU and dialysis centre under renovation were expected to ease pressure on the already overburdened hospital.

The Executive Director in the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Penda Ithindi, confirmed to NBC News that the contractor has been removed due to underperformance and that the ministry is now in the process of appointing a new contractor.