A 68-year-old mother at Baracka, a remote village located about 25 kilometres from Tsumkwe, is making a desperate plea to authorities and the public to help locate her missing son, whom she says has been missing for five years after being hospitalised.

N!ani Kxore's painful reality started about five years ago, when her son Kaqece Kxao, who was then 40 years old, fell sick, complaining of what he described as 'pain in the kidneys', and was picked up from the village by the state ambulance.

She said she thought her son was only being taken to the clinic in Tsumkwe for treatment and would return home, but instead, he was transferred to Grootfontein District Hospital and then to Windhoek.

"When Kxao was picked up here, I was told that he would only go to the clinic and come back. After some time, when I started looking for him, he was nowhere to be found. I tried asking people where he is, but nobody knows where he is. I don't know what to do; I am calling on anyone who is willing to help me. Please help me find my son."

Officials at Tsumkwe clinic confirmed that Kxao was transferred to Windhoek for medical attention, but never came back.

There is currently no trace of him or any records to prove his whereabouts or whether he is dead or alive.

The mother said she has received conflicting information about the whereabouts of her son. She says some people tell her he is alive, and some inform her that her son has died.

Kxore, however, remains optimistic that her son will one day return home.

NBC News reached out to the spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Walters Kamaya, who described the situation as "unusual" and said the ministry has launched an immediate investigation to establish what transpired and the route travelled by Kxao.

He stated that the ministry only became aware of the situation after NBC News requested a comment on Tuesday, but they have since initiated investigations.

The mother, who is based in the rural area of Tsumkwe, does not own a mobile phone, but Kamaya said the ministry will employ all efforts to contact her.

He added that the health authorities engaged all relevant departments in the ministry.