The construction of a N$59 million maternity ward at Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital is nearing completion.

The Onandjokwe maternity ward will be the largest ward among all public health facilities, with a bed capacity of 120.

Currently, the ward has a bed capacity of 70.

It will have its own two theatres, a high-care unit for babies and mothers, as well as an emergency department.

According to Dr. Saad Rwehumbiza, the acting medical superintendent at Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital, the hospital delivers more than 7,500 babies annually.

"Currently, Onandjokwe is number one in terms of mothers who are delivering at the hospital. The minimum number of babies born here is at least one born every hour at Onandjokwe, so we are talking about 700 babies minimally every month, and that is now the current infrastructure."

This number is expected to increase once the maternity ward is completed.

The hospital wants to improve the healthcare and safety of the mothers and their babies by procuring all the equipment needed, such as diagnostic and ventilation machines.

The hospital has also expanded its capacity to admit patients needing high-level care from the current four beds in the ICU, which were mostly occupied by babies.

In 2018–2019, the capacity for ICU neonatal high care was expanded with five more beds to separate babies from adults.