Vice President Nangolo Mbumba continues with his visits to the northern parts of the country.

Mbumba visited the Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital in the Oshikoto Region, one of the oldest hospitals in the north of Namibia.

The Onandjokwe Lutheran Hospital was built by missionaries under the leadership of Dr. Selma Rainio from Finland.

Onandjokwe has now joined the ranks of Katutura, Oshakati, and Rundu as an intermediate referral hospital.

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 community of Ngwangwa in the Kavango West Region now has easy access to service, thanks to the North, South, West Fishing Company, which provided a pedestrian brigde.

Before the pedestrian bridge, residents used to walk at least 20 kilometers to Rundu for different services among others schools and health facilities. 

With the provision of this N$361,000 pedestrian bridge, residents will no longer have to cross the river and pay N$50 for transport.

Two schools in the Kabbe South and Kabbe North constituencies are the latest to benefit from the government's rural electrification program.

Residents in the Namiyundu and Nankuntwe areas have been without electricity since independence.

Kabbe North Constituency Councillor, Bernard Sisamu was happy that Namiyundu Primary School, the only school in his constituency, has now been electrified.

The restrictions on the movement of livestock in six northern regions have been lifted.

The restrictions were imposed following an outbreak of the contagious lung sickness called bovine pleuro-pneumonia in February.

To date, the cattle mass vaccination campaign in all affected regions has been completed, with 94% coverage.

It is for this reason that the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry has decided to lift the ban on the movement of livestock in those areas.