Uncontrolled growth pushes Rundu to breaking point
Population growing at 5% annually
The unrelenting growth in Rundu has left residents grappling for basic services.
Rundu, Namibia’s second-largest urban centre, is grappling with the consequences of an explosive population boom.
According to the 2023 census, the town’s population is growing at an annual rate of 5.2%.
This has created unprecedented challenges in essential services and infrastructure, particularly healthcare.
Years of neglected infrastructure upgrades have left Rundu with crumbling roads, inadequate water and sewage systems, as well as overcrowded schools. Among these issues, healthcare has become the town’s most critical challenge.
Meanwhile, the town’s ongoing water crisis, which has left thousands of residents without a reliable supply, was foreseen years ago.
Projections warned that without urgent upgrades, Rundu would face severe water shortages by 2020. Today, those predictions have become a harsh reality.
During a recent meeting with urban and rural development minister Erastus Uutoni, Rundu mayor Gabriel Kanyanga expressed frustration over the escalating water problem.
“Rundu's water crisis is due to a population growth that outpaces the infrastructure we currently have,” he said.
“The infrastructure, from the riverside to the reservoir, cannot keep up with the demands of our growing population,” he said.
Kanyanga noted that the council has been in ongoing discussions with NamWater, the Kavango East governor, and the regional council’s chairperson.
“The projections about Rundu’s water issues were clear in reports years ago, yet here we are,” he added.
As an immediate response, Kanyanga suggested drilling boreholes in the hardest-hit areas like Ndama, Sunshine and Sauyemwa. However, he noted that this process has stalled due to a lack of funding.
Kavango East governor Bonifatius Wakudumo attributed Rundu's persistent water and sewage issues to poor town planning and called for immediate infrastructure improvements.
"The challenges today stem from inadequate planning," he said.
According to Wakudumo, Rundu’s rapid, unregulated growth has overwhelmed infrastructure that was never designed to accommodate the current population.
“If we don’t plan properly, this is what happens. It’s not the fault of current councillors but of those before them. Proper planning should have been done years ago.”
Healthcare System Under Severe Strain
The unrelenting growth in Rundu has also put the town’s healthcare system under severe strain. At Rundu Intermediate Hospital, particularly in the casualty department, doctors are demoralised by frequent shortages of essential medications.
One doctor, speaking anonymously, shared the frustration of being unable to adequately treat patients due to a lack of critical supplies.
“It’s heartbreaking. When we don’t have essential fluids, we can’t provide the care patients need,” he said.
“How long will we have to wait for these basic medications?”
Another doctor highlighted the impact of medication shortages on antibiotic resistance.
"When you don’t have sufficient antibiotics, patients are sent home with partial treatments, leading to resistance. We’re on a path where even common diseases might become untreatable," the doctor said.
Michael Shivolo, a patient affected by the shortages, also voiced his frustration.
“I keep going back to the hospital, only to be told the medication I need isn’t available. It’s frustrating,” he said.
Another patient described being "left in pain" as alternative treatments failed to provide relief.
In an opinion piece shared with Namibian Sun, Willem Kamutuva Kanyondi from IU International University of Applied Sciences in Berlin pointed to Rundu’s overburdened healthcare facilities as an urgent issue.
“Public health facilities are stretched thin, with longer waiting times and declining care quality due to higher patient volumes,” he wrote.
Kanyondi warned of looming health risks, such as tuberculosis, cholera and malaria, due to high-density living conditions and inadequate sanitation.
He urged healthcare leaders to adopt proactive measures, including improved sanitation, public health education and better access to clean water.
He noted that Rundu’s growth also presents an opportunity to modernise healthcare through digital health technologies, mobile health apps and telemedicine.
“Such innovations could make healthcare more accessible to residents, especially in informal settlements,” he said.
Kanyondi also stressed that Rundu’s healthcare crisis is part of a broader issue, intertwined with unemployment, housing and food security.
“Rapid growth in Rundu may exacerbate poverty and food insecurity, directly impacting community health. A holistic approach that addresses these underlying issues is essential,” he added. – [email protected]
According to the 2023 census, the town’s population is growing at an annual rate of 5.2%.
This has created unprecedented challenges in essential services and infrastructure, particularly healthcare.
Years of neglected infrastructure upgrades have left Rundu with crumbling roads, inadequate water and sewage systems, as well as overcrowded schools. Among these issues, healthcare has become the town’s most critical challenge.
Meanwhile, the town’s ongoing water crisis, which has left thousands of residents without a reliable supply, was foreseen years ago.
Projections warned that without urgent upgrades, Rundu would face severe water shortages by 2020. Today, those predictions have become a harsh reality.
During a recent meeting with urban and rural development minister Erastus Uutoni, Rundu mayor Gabriel Kanyanga expressed frustration over the escalating water problem.
“Rundu's water crisis is due to a population growth that outpaces the infrastructure we currently have,” he said.
“The infrastructure, from the riverside to the reservoir, cannot keep up with the demands of our growing population,” he said.
Kanyanga noted that the council has been in ongoing discussions with NamWater, the Kavango East governor, and the regional council’s chairperson.
“The projections about Rundu’s water issues were clear in reports years ago, yet here we are,” he added.
As an immediate response, Kanyanga suggested drilling boreholes in the hardest-hit areas like Ndama, Sunshine and Sauyemwa. However, he noted that this process has stalled due to a lack of funding.
Kavango East governor Bonifatius Wakudumo attributed Rundu's persistent water and sewage issues to poor town planning and called for immediate infrastructure improvements.
"The challenges today stem from inadequate planning," he said.
According to Wakudumo, Rundu’s rapid, unregulated growth has overwhelmed infrastructure that was never designed to accommodate the current population.
“If we don’t plan properly, this is what happens. It’s not the fault of current councillors but of those before them. Proper planning should have been done years ago.”
Healthcare System Under Severe Strain
The unrelenting growth in Rundu has also put the town’s healthcare system under severe strain. At Rundu Intermediate Hospital, particularly in the casualty department, doctors are demoralised by frequent shortages of essential medications.
One doctor, speaking anonymously, shared the frustration of being unable to adequately treat patients due to a lack of critical supplies.
“It’s heartbreaking. When we don’t have essential fluids, we can’t provide the care patients need,” he said.
“How long will we have to wait for these basic medications?”
Another doctor highlighted the impact of medication shortages on antibiotic resistance.
"When you don’t have sufficient antibiotics, patients are sent home with partial treatments, leading to resistance. We’re on a path where even common diseases might become untreatable," the doctor said.
Michael Shivolo, a patient affected by the shortages, also voiced his frustration.
“I keep going back to the hospital, only to be told the medication I need isn’t available. It’s frustrating,” he said.
Another patient described being "left in pain" as alternative treatments failed to provide relief.
In an opinion piece shared with Namibian Sun, Willem Kamutuva Kanyondi from IU International University of Applied Sciences in Berlin pointed to Rundu’s overburdened healthcare facilities as an urgent issue.
“Public health facilities are stretched thin, with longer waiting times and declining care quality due to higher patient volumes,” he wrote.
Kanyondi warned of looming health risks, such as tuberculosis, cholera and malaria, due to high-density living conditions and inadequate sanitation.
He urged healthcare leaders to adopt proactive measures, including improved sanitation, public health education and better access to clean water.
He noted that Rundu’s growth also presents an opportunity to modernise healthcare through digital health technologies, mobile health apps and telemedicine.
“Such innovations could make healthcare more accessible to residents, especially in informal settlements,” he said.
Kanyondi also stressed that Rundu’s healthcare crisis is part of a broader issue, intertwined with unemployment, housing and food security.
“Rapid growth in Rundu may exacerbate poverty and food insecurity, directly impacting community health. A holistic approach that addresses these underlying issues is essential,” he added. – [email protected]
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