DIRECTOR: Ms. C. Thataone
Private Bag 5004
Swakopmund,
Erongo Region
Tel: +264-64- 4106005
Fax: + 264-64- 4106002
E-mail: cthataone@mhss.gov.na

Erongo Region is situated in the western part of the country, bordering Kunene Region in the North, Otjozondjupa Region in the North West, Khomas Region in the South East and Hardap Region in the South. It lies partly on the Namibian highlands at an altitude above 1200m, and partly across the Central Namib Desert, a 150 km wide coastal plain below 800 m. It covers an area of 63 579 square km.

Namibia ’s highest mountain, the Brandberg at 2579m above see level is situated in Erongo Region. Other prominent mountains are Erongo (2319m) and Spitzkoppe (1759m). Four ephemeral rivers run form east to west namely Ugab, Omaruru, Swakop/Khan and the Kuiseb River.

Erongo Region has different climate zones which run parallel to the coastline, which is the cool foggy coastal zone, foggy interior zone, middle desert zone, eastern desert zone, Pro-Namib, the escarpment and the Namibian highlands.

The annual mean temperature is between 15 and 22 grade Celsius. South-western winds prevail for most of the year (280 days) starting in early summer. The mean annual rainfall in the region varies between 0 mm in the west and 350 mm in the east. (Regional Development Plan- 2001/2002-2005/2006-Erongo Region)

The total population is 111 917 in 2004 with a yearly growth rate of 1.3%. (projected using the 2001 Population and Housing Census)

Under 1 year: 3 358
Under 5 year: 12 311
Women of childbearing age (15-49 years) 26 860
Aged People (60 and above) 6 715
Disabled people 34 694

The economy derives mainly from the fishing Industry. Walvis Bay is Namibia’s main harbor. Other sources are agriculture, mining, trade and industry and tourism. Swakopmund is the main tourist resort in the country.

The national roads network connects the region via Okahandja, Windhoek and Otjiwarongo to the rest of the country. Railway connections exist between Walvis Bay, Otjiwarongo and Windhoek. A large international airport is situated at Walvis Bay with several smaller airfields at Karibib.

The Trans-Caprivi and Trans-Kalahari highways end in Walvis Bay passing by every main town in the region. As a trade route, it is expected to be a route for the spread of AIDS and STI’s in addition to the expected flourishing of certain trades such as liquor selling and commercial sex. Commercial sex, drugs and alcohol abuse are risk factors in the area.

To ensure efficient regional management
To improve quality of health services in all hospitals
To provide quality primary health care service
To improve developmental social welfare services

General Support Services
The division is responsible for providing administrative support in terms of:

Office and General Support Services
Logistics and Facility Management
Finance and social accounts
Human Resource Management

Public & Environmental Health
The division is responsible for uplifting public health including the following:

Port Health
Sanitation
Vector-borne disease control
Occupational health and safety
Public hygiene and environmental pollution
Infectious disease control
Food safety and hygiene

Safe motherhood and newborn
Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), GMP, Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI), Family Planning, Antenatal Care (ANC), Post Natal Care (PNC)
Food and Nutrition
Micro Nutrients Deficiency, Control of Food Standard, Nutrition Surveillance and promotion, Non- communicable diet related diseases and Institutional feeding
Community Based Health Care and Outreach services
School and Adolescent health program
Mental Health
Control of Diarrheal Diseases (CDD)
Non- communicable diseases control
Acute Respiratory Infections control

Rehabilitation and Social Services
The main function of the social sector is to ensure a healthy and safe environment, aimed at improving the living standards of the disadvantaged and to protect the rights and dignity of those affected by prejudice and abuse.

Rehabilitation & Social Welfare Services
This division is divided into two subdivisions namely Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Services.

Developmental Social Welfare
The main objective of the social sector is to ensure a healthy and fair environment aimed at improving the living standards of the disadvantaged (disable, women, children, youth, elderly, and the vulnerable in Namibia and at the same time to protect the rights and dignity of those affected by prejudice and abuse. This is to be achieved through principles of equity, accessibility and community involvement. Further it aims at equalizing opportunities for all people to participate in economic, social, cultural and political life in order to produce their well-being and to contribute to community development. It is also responsible for promotion of human security, prevention of social problems through counseling.

Curative Services
The division is responsible for the provision of Nursing, pharmaceutical and dental services.

Special Disease program
The special disease program deals with the following programs:

Management Information System (MIS)
The division is responsible for managing of information for evidence-based planning, monitoring and evaluation. This is done through the development of a sound MIS that could provide information on financial, epidemiological, pharmaceutical, capital development and maintenance of facilities, human resource development, research and surveys, etc. The division is therefore responsible for the development of a minimum set of indicators for all the MIS subsystems. This tool is then utilized for monitoring the implementation of programs and services in the directorate.

Multi- regional technical services
It is responsible for repairing and planned preventive maintenance of medical equipment for three directorates.

Multi regional information technology services
Responsible for information technology management such as telephone systems, computers, e- mail and internet services for three directorates.

District health and social welfare services x 4 ( Walvis Bay, Swakopmund, Usakos and Omaruru)
This division is responsible for the co-ordination, management and implementation of activities at the district level, which includes all the activities run by clinics, health center and the district hospital.

HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFARE
The Region comprises of four districts that are having 17 State Health Facilities in total, namely, two Health centers, fifteen clinics and four district hospitals.