Namibia has recorded a total of 1,345 malaria cases since November 2023 in malaria-prone regions.

Cases are expected to increase significantly during the rainy season.

Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Ester Muinjangue, highlighted the ministry's concerns in an interview with nbc News.

Malaria cases have been on the rise in malaria-endemic regions.

Of the total 1,345 cases recorded nationwide, 133 were found to be severe and resulted in hospital admission.

The Central Northern Regional Electricity Distributor (CENORED) is set to embark on a token identifier (TID) rollover project to prevent people from tempering with electricity meters.

CENORED is putting all systems in place to get the process started and ensure that the rollover to the new software is done smoothly.

The old software within this prepaid meter has a base date of January 1, 1993, and will now roll over to the new best base, which is January 1, 2014.

The Minister of Works and Transport, John Mutorwa, has announced phase two of the upgrade on the Charlie Cutline Road, 70 kilometres west of Rundu.

The second phase is set to run for six months, covering at least 35 kilometres at a cost of N$29.8 million.

The road connects the Kavango East, Kavango West, Oshikoto, and Ohangwena regions.

The second phase of the upgrade has already started, and it has so far covered 10 kilometres.

NamWater is working on the rehabilitation of its canal in an effort to ensure that the northern communities have access to an ample supply of clean drinking water.

Two particularly significant portions, Omahenene and Olushandja, have already undergone thorough refurbishment, incurring costs that exceed N$60 million.

Health and social services for vulnerable children, adolescents, and youth in Namibia are expected to improve through the five-year Reach Namibia Programme of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

The programme will invest about N$840 million in the provision of these services.

PEPFAR focuses on expanding access to HIV prevention, treatment, and care interventions.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economics and Public Administration wants to see TransNamib transformed to offer services par excellence and have an integrated master plan to maximise return on investment.

 
The Committee was in the Otjozondjupa Region, where it familiarised itself with the dilapidated structures belonging to the parastatal.

The oversight visit follows recommendations to TransNamib by the Ministry of Works and Transport and stakeholders to introduce a master plan integrating air, road, rail, and maritime transportation modes.

The Oshikoto Regional Council has budgeted N$46 million towards accelerating infrastructure development and increasing socio-economic activity in the region.

Governor Penda ya Ndakolo revealed this during his State of the Region Address at Omuthiya.

The budget will, among other factors, cater for the provision of potable water and electricity to rural areas and settlements, as well as other growth centres.

To address high unemployment, the region is on a mission to capacitate SMEs, both in urban and rural areas.

Faith Leader Advocacy for Malaria Elimination (FLAME) met in Otjiwarongo for three days to discuss ways of intensifying the fight against malaria.

Established in 2021 in Namibia, FLAME is a coalition of faith leaders driven to improve and sustain the health and well-being of those affected by malaria.

The coalitions are in areas with the highest malaria transmissions, that is, the Zambezi, Kavango East, Kavango West, Oshikoto, and Ohangwena Regions.

Three of the four northern regions are preparing for another possible severe drought due to poor rainfall.

It is against that background that the Regional Governors of Oshana, Omusati and Oshikoto along with other stakeholders, assessed water levels in the Etaka- Uuvudhiya water canal.

The rainy season is rounding up and some areas are still dry including most of the Oshanas. This situation poses a serious threat to water availability and scarce grazing for animals.

The Namibia Water Corporation will ration water supply from the 7th of March due to the upgrading of the raw water pumps at the Oshakati Water Treatment Plant and distribution system.

In a notice to stakeholders and customers in the Oshana, Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions, NamWater states that the rationing of water supply will take place between 22h00 to 05h00 in the morning during the four-day period.

This is necessary to build up reserve capacity to sustain supply to critical customers, it said.