Namibia's cancer rate remains high, calling for a more decentralised approach to improve oncology services.

Namibia currently does not have adequate equipment and machines to treat cancer for state patients.

The current cobalt 60 machine used for radiation therapy has reached its life span and is not operational.

A lack of sufficient oncology services in other regions has also caused backlogs, leaving many patients who travel to Windhoek for treatment frustrated.

Oshana Governor Elia Irimari says the persistent drought has a significant negative impact on families in urban centres within his region and that they too deserve to get food aid to help them get through the drought.

Against this background, the Oshana Regional Council found it fit to hand over food parcels valued at N$135,000 to three of its local authorities.

The towns of Ongwediva, Ondangwa, and Oshakati received 737 tinned fish as well as 184 bottles of cooking oil and 10 kg bags of maize meal to assist the families in these towns in getting a meal on their tables.

NORED customers in the Oshana Region owe the electricity utility N$3.6 million.

Of this, N$734,000 has been outstanding for more than a year.

The information was shared during the hearing of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resources and Development at Oshakati on the motion to write off historic electricity and water debts in the Oshana, Oshikoto, and Otjozondjupa Regions.

The motion was tabled by the Landless People's Movement's (LPM) MP, Henny Seibeb.

Oshana Governor Elia Irimari has encouraged female parliamentarians participating in a capacity-building workshop for women parliamentarians in Oshakati to advocate for more funding for the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (nbc).

This step is essential to enabling the broadcaster to expand its reach across all 14 regions of the country.

The Oshakati Town Council has resolved to endorse the sale of a controversial 1.7-hectare prime land, previously known as Omatala in Oshakati, to business mogul Erastus 'Chicco' Shapumba.

The land was sold in 2017 for only N$2.5 million, and the council has since proposed a new price.

Situated along the Oshakati main road, the piece of land for decades used to house the town's open market.

The tobacco epidemic is recognised as one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever encountered.

This statement was made by the Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Kalumbi Shangula, during the commemoration of World No Tobacco Day, held in Oshakati.

According to the World Health Organisation, tobacco use is responsible for killing up to half of its users.

About six million people die each year due to tobacco-related causes.