Sostenus Wilherm
The Groot-Aub Clinic has received a permanent ambulance, dedicated driver and paramedic following years of advocacy for improved emergency medical services in the area.
Windhoek rural constituency councillor Willem Gariseb told the Windhoek Observer that the deployment addresses a longstanding need, as residents have struggled to access emergency transport, particularly when requiring urgent referrals or transfers to other healthcare facilities.
“The deployment of a permanent ambulance, together with a dedicated driver and paramedic stationed at Groot-Aub Clinic, addresses a longstanding need for improved emergency medical response in Groot-Aub and the surrounding Windhoek Rural communities,” Gariseb said.
He said the distance between communities and healthcare facilities made reliable emergency transportation particularly important, adding that local representatives had consistently recognised the need to strengthen healthcare services.
The ambulance team was officially welcomed to Groot-Aub on Monday, during a briefing attended by Gariseb and City of Windhoek councillor Demetreo Beukes, who is also a member of the municipality’s management committee.
A joint statement issued by the two councillors on the same day confirmed that the Groot-Aub Clinic had received the ambulance and that a dedicated driver and paramedic would be stationed at the facility.
The councillors welcomed the deployment and thanked the relevant health authorities and other stakeholders who contributed to making the service available.
However, Gariseb said the exact operating hours, staffing shifts and after-hours emergency arrangements still needed to be confirmed by the responsible health authorities.
“We welcome the deployment of a permanent ambulance with a dedicated driver and paramedic stationed at Groot-Aub Clinic. However, the exact operating hours, staffing shifts and arrangements for after-hours emergency response must be confirmed by the responsible health authorities,” he said.
He added that the councillors did not want to provide residents with unverified information about the availability of the service.
“We do not wish to provide the public with unverified information regarding 24-hour availability. We will seek clarification on these arrangements to ensure that residents understand when and how the service can be accessed,” Gariseb said.
The ambulance is expected to serve Groot-Aub and surrounding communities in the wider Windhoek Rural area, subject to the operational arrangements and coverage determined by the health authorities.
Gariseb said emergency calls, dispatch procedures and patient transfers would need to be coordinated through the responsible health authorities and emergency medical services.
He encouraged residents to obtain the official emergency contact number and reporting procedures from the Groot-Aub Clinic to ensure that emergencies are reported through the correct channels.
The councillor said the deployment could help ease transportation challenges for residents who previously depended on ambulances travelling from Windhoek, particularly in cases involving serious illnesses, accidents, maternal emergencies and other conditions requiring urgent medical attention.
However, he said the overall impact would depend on the ambulance’s availability, response arrangements and operational capacity.
Beyond the new ambulance service, Gariseb said the councillors would continue advocating for improvements in healthcare delivery across the constituency.
“Our focus includes advocating for adequate staffing and equipment at local healthcare facilities, reliable emergency transport, improved access to essential medical services and stronger coordination between clinics and referral hospitals,” he said.
He added that any additional ambulance deployments or medical resources would need to be considered by the relevant authorities based on community needs, available resources and service-delivery priorities.
In their statement, the councillors said they remained committed to engaging the relevant institutions on matters affecting residents’ wellbeing and access to essential services.
They also urged community members to make responsible use of the ambulance and follow the clinic’s official emergency procedures.
“Access to emergency healthcare is essential to the safety, dignity and wellbeing of our communities. We welcome this development and will continue working with the relevant stakeholders to strengthen healthcare delivery across Groot-Aub and the wider Windhoek Rural Constituency,” the joint response stated.
