With an area of 10582 km 2 the region stretch along the Angolan boarder to the North, Omusati and Oshana regions to the West, Oshikoto to the South and Okavango to the East. The region has the largest stretch of the boarder with Angola and so the resident population has been regularly added to by number of Angolan crossing the boarder, especially looking for health services. The annual temperature range between 23-34 Celsius degree and the annual rainfall varies between 480 mm and 600 mm.

The total population is 239 135 (census 2001 with a yearly growth rate of 2.4 %.)

Under 1 year old = 50 739
Under 5 year old = 35 870
Woman of childbearing age = 57 392
Aged people = 16 500
Estimated disabled people = 7 413

Four salient features characterize economic activities in Ohangwena region, namely, the strong reliance on agriculture as a source of income and production; industrial production has recently been introduced in the Oshikango EPZ Park.

No mining activities are currently taking place in Ohangwena. However, there is some potential for further exploration for oil. Clays for brick making is also present in the region.

During the deep drilling programme of 1960’s, the ground water encountered was twice as salty as seawater. This highly saline water has potential for the production of salt if it can be pumped out economically into a large shallow evaporation pans.

Quick Links on this page: Main Health Challenges | Objectives | Main Output Areas | Structure

The main health challenges

• HIV/AIDS
• Malaria
• Low sanitation coverage
• Stunting

OBJECTIVES

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

MAIN OUTPUT AREAS

• General and Functional Management
• Development Social Welfare Services
• Public Health Services
• Hospital Services

General support services
The division is responsible for providing administrative support to the directorate in terms of:

• Office and general services
• Logistics and facility management
• Financial and Social accounts
• Human and resource management

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

• Sanitation
• Vector borne disease control
• Occupation Health and Safety
• Public hygiene and environmental pollution control
• Infectious disease control
• Food safety and hygiene

Family Health Services
The division covers the following:

• Safe motherhood and newborn care
• Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) ;
• Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI)
• Family Planning, Antenatal care (ANC), Post Natal Care (PNC)
• Food and Nutrition
• Community Based Health Care and Outreach services
• School and Adolescent Health Program
• Mental Health
• Control of Diarrhea Diseases (CDD)
• Non-communicable diseases control
• Acute Respiratory Infections control

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

A rehabilitation service includes physiotherapy and occupational services.

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

Special disease program
The special diseases services deals with the following diseases:

• HIV/AIDS
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• Malaria

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 provides information on financial, epidemiological, pharmaceutical, capital development and maintenance of facilities, human resource development, research and surveys.

Districts health and social health services x 3 (Eenhana, Engela and Kongo)
These divisions are responsible for the co-ordination, management and implementation of activities at the district level, which includes all the activities run by clinics, health centers and the district hospitals.

Click here to view or download district maps.

Health and social welfare facilities

Ohangwena region has three hospitals, (Eenhana, Engela and Kongo) one health centre and 27 clinics.