GIZ donates goods worth N$6 million

Rudi Bowe

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) donated goods worth N$6 million, which includes three fully furnished mobile containers clinics. Covid-19 hygiene material such as isolation tent, masks, disinfectants and other protective gear and a vehicle to the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) last Thursday at Walvis Bay.

WBCG has been at the forefront of fighting communicable and non-communicable diseases in the logistics sector and the Wellness Service has been responsive to the medical and health challenges in their sector, including cross border trips, recording, as well as monitoring and surveillance of truck driver wellness
The Head of Component at GIZ Transport, Mobility and Ogistics Project, Ursula Hein-Rooinasie said the goods procured as well as the salaries of staff at the container clinics donated by her department are aimed at assisting WBCG’s efforts to prevent the further spread of Covid-19 and to enable effective operations at border crossings and along corridors.
Hein-Rooinasie said it is important for stake-holders of the transport industry to have a renewed vision with new strategies to pre-serve public health, economic recovery and sustainability. It is our intention to strengthen rules and regulations put into place by the Namibian Government, while ensuring the continuation of logistics operations.”
“The support is part of a bigger package towards the transport sector implemented by GIZ. The second component focused on public trans-port, where the City of Windhoek municipal buses as well as taxi drivers were supported with preventive measures against the spread of the Coronavirus” Hein-Rooinasie said.
WBCG Chief Executive Officer Mbahupu Tjivikua who received the donation said that it came at the right time for the transport and logistics fraternity of Namibia and the SADC region.
Tjivikua said “This sponsorship by GIZ is not a cure or treatment for Covid-19 but an effort to mitigate the impact and contain further spread of Covid-19. It will ease pressure on our thin and overstretched financial resources and will also financially and psychologically boost the morale of the staff and improve their productivity as well as the sustainability of WBCG.”
“The three mobile clinics will be stationed in Walvis Bay, Keetmanshoop and Outapi with six other active wellness centres at the ports of entries in Walvis Bay, Katima Mulilo, Oshikango, Windhoek, Gobabis and Otjiwarongo. These centres offer free wellness services to truck drivers and the communities they interact with, including commercial sex workers” Tjivikua said.