ONGWEDIVA MEDIPARK
Quality, Accessible, Affordable
As a 180-bed specialised academic hospital based in northern Namibia, Ongwediva Medipark seeks to bring comprehensive healthcare closer to communities. Dr Tshali Iithete, Managing Director at Ongwediva Medipark, tells us more Writer: Sean Galea-Pace | Project Manager: Callam Waller
O
ngwediva Medipark stands tall as the highest concentration of specialised skills within Namibia. The organisation is renowned as being one of the first and only hospitals within Namibia and one of the few on the African continent that performs transplant surgery since 2016. “Ongwediva Medipark is unique in a sense that over the past 14 years, we have managed to create this magnificent healthcare set up that has attracted a variety of specialised skills to an area that would have previously been referred to as remote,” explains Dr Tshali Iithete, Managing Director at Ongwediva Medipark. “This has enabled Medipark to be fully accredited as a teaching hospital by the Health Professionals Council of Namibia and the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa. Ongwediva Medipark currently trains nursing, medical and radiography students, as well as pharmacy interns.” In addition to being an academic 2 | Africa Outlook issue 90
hospital, Medipark has forged unique partnerships with the Ministry of Health and Social Services in form of an agreement. “These collaborations and achievements make Ongwediva Medipark stand out in its quest to deliver quality healthcare services.” Ongwediva Medipark is a 180-bed specialised academic hospital based in northern Namibia. The organisation is a one-stop centre-of-excellence aimed at bringing comprehensive healthcare closer to the communities. Its patients are from a number of different parts of Namibia and neighbouring Angola, with a total direct employment of over 400 employees. Ongwediva Medipark is a state-of-the-art private hospital that provides quality, accessible and affordable healthcare to the Nambian community and the Northern Regions. Born in the Elim, Omusati region, Iithete attended early schooling at Otshuungu and Oniipa, before joining the illustrious Oshigambo High School in the mid-1980s. “This was the most difficult period of heightened political
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ONGWEDIVA MEDIPARK
NOKO Surgical Supplies For years, Ongwediva Medipark has been amongst the leading provider of quality health care services in Namibia and we are privileged to be part of the organisation’s success by supplying quality surgical implants and instruments. We continue to enjoy a healthy business environment created by the organisation’s forward looking management style. Due to hospital’s demand for improved technology, we have pushed ourselves become key player in the supply of affordable, effective and easy to use technology. We have Ongwediva Medipark to thank as a key partner in our growth business strategy.
+264 (061) 235 332
“THESE COLLABORATIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS MAKE ONGWEDIVA MEDIPARK STAND OUT IN ITS QUEST TO DELIVER QUALITY HEALTHCARE SERVICES” – DR TSHALI IITHETE, MANAGING DIRECTOR, ONGWEDIVA MEDIPARK activities in the country and northern Namibia was the centre of intense military activities or as popularly known as the ‘War Zone’,” he recalls. “It was therefore not easy growing up under such tension.” It was also during this period a young Iithete witnessed and became socio-political conscious about the circumstances in his community and the limitation imposed by Colonialism and the draconian Apartheid system. Hence, the passion to become an organ of change for his community and country at large was lit in him during his childhood. “People travelled long distances to seek medical care,” explains 4 | Africa Outlook issue 90
Iithete. “Thanks to a few mission hospitals, otherwise there were many challenges. However, it was during these challenging times that some of us got inspired to study medicine in order to come back and be part of the change for better care in these previously neglected communities.” As a founding promoter and current Managing Director, Iithete steered Ongwediva Medipark into a flagship Hospital within just 10 years of its existence. The firm is accredited by both the Health Professionals’ Council of Namibia (HPCNA) and the University of Namibia as an Academic Hospital making it the only hospital in Namibia to be accredited by HPCNA
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FINANCIAL WELLNESS FOR THE MEDICAL SECTOR Standard Bank Namibia is pleased to be Ongwediva MediPark's financial services partner in its efforts to establish itself as the premier medical provider in Namibia and throughout Africa. At Standard Bank Namibia, we support our clients' businesses by providing solutions that help them meet the evolving needs of their clients. We are excited to continue our relationship as Ongwediva MediPark grows and improves its technology and medical performance. Visit www.standardbank.com.na for more information.
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ONGWEDIVA MEDIPARK
THE INSIDE STORY DR TSHALI IITHETE’S EARLY CAREER In 1988, Iithete joined his parents who were studying in the United States under a Fulbright Scholarship. He completed high school with distinction at Bishop McNamara High School in Forrestville, Maryland, United States in 1990. In the same year Namibia gained independence, Iithete was determined to embark on a career to become a Medical Doctor in order to return back to his home country and take up challenges of developing a Namibian healthcare system. He was admitted to Denison University in Granville, Ohio in the summer of 1990, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences. At Denison University, Iithete was elected by his peers to various student leadership positions including President of the Denison’s
Dr Tshalii Ilhete, Managing Director, Ongwediva Medipark
International Students’ Association (DISA), Vice President of the Black Students Union (BSU). Iithete was also selected for prestigious internships at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, United States and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at Rockville, Maryland, United States. He also interned at McMahon & Associates, a consulting firm in Washington D.C. In 1996, Iithete returned to southern Africa and enrolled at the University of Natal, School of Medicine where he obtained an MBChB Degree in 2001. Upon completion of his medical degree, he returned to Namibia and worked as a Medical Practitioner at the Windhoek Hospital Complex (Katutura & Windhoek Central Hospitals) in the Department of Internal Medicine. Given the above background, it empowered Iithete with the necessary skills to contribute towards nation-building and help to alleviate the injustices of the past especially in the health sector. The glaring realities were that of a lack of skills and services in health especially outside of Namibia’s capital city Windhoek. This prompted Iithete to look at possibilities of establishing a Private Hospital in northern Namibia where 60 percent of Namibia’s population resides yet only rudimentary health services existed. After a thorough feasibility study, Ongwediva Medipark was established in 2007 at the town of Ongwediva in the Oshana region. Dr Tshali Iithete is also the Personal Physician to Dr Sam Nujoma, the Founding President of the Republic of Namibia.
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and the first private hospital to have such recognition by both institutions. In 2016, Ongwediva Medipark set up the first Organ Transplant Unit in Namibia and performed the first kidney transplant on the 30th March 2016 – setting Namibia’s medical history. Ongwediva Medipark showcases 30 resident specialists in various disciplines – Neurosurgery, Orthopaedic surgery, General and Transplant surgery, Internal Medicine, Paediatrics, Emergency Medicine, Rheumatology, Radiology, Ophthalmology, Ear, Nose and Throat, Urology, Obstetric and Gynaecology to name but a few. Today, there are various challenges in the healthcare industry across Africa. Firstly, defining a healthcare system that is robust, affordable, efficient, inclusive and dynamic to meet ever-increasing demands is important. “For far too long, African countries and people spent enormous resources and significant parts of their GDPs in
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As general surgeons, some procedures performed include • Gastroscopy, colonoscopy and bronchoscopy • ERCP • Appendix removal • Gallbladder removals, • Thyroid surgeries • Breast surgeries including reduction and reconstruction • Gastrointestinal Surgeries • Hemorrhoids, fissures and fistula • Hernia repairs • Lung Surgery • Vascular access surgeries • Bariatric surgeries • Trauma • And many others…
State-of-the-Art Surgical Care Kai –Brown surgical Centre provides an extensive range of specialized surgical procedures including general surgery, endoscopy, vascular, thoracic, gastrointestinal, breast and kidney transplant surgeries. Thanks to advances in medical technology, many of the procedures are performed on an outpatient basis and via minimal invasive surgery. Kai-Brown surgical Centre offers the latest equipment for minimally invasive surgery designed to return patients home as quickly as possible.
Namibia X-Ray and Imaging Technologies cc (Namibia X-Ray) is a business specializing in the sales, installation, commissioning, and service of Medical, X-Ray and Imaging Equipment and technology in the Namibian market. Namibia X-Ray have been delivering top quality products and service to the public and private sector in Namibia for the past 12 years - since it was founded by former employees from Siemens Namibia with senior staff having more than 20 years of experience in the Namibian Healthcare sector. Namibia X-Ray is the approved partner and sole distributor for Siemens Healthineers, Agfa Healthcare, Elekta, Drager Healthcare. Namibia X-Ray also represents various other products in Namibia through non-exclusive partnerships. Namibia X-Ray is the only Namibian company that has 6 fully factory-trained Imaging and Life support field service engineers to fulfil the services required. We are known for excellent product and after sales service – which makes us a favourable partner to the Private Hospitals, like Ongwediva Medipark in Namibia. We’ve also recently expanded our service business to SADC countries, like Botswana, Zimbabwe, etc.
KAI-BROWN SURGICAL CENTER - SPECIALIST SURGICAL SERVICES MBChB, Mmed (Surgery), FCS (SA) | Tel: +264 65 234 700
Approved Partner X-Ray
9 Palladium Street, Prosperita, Windhoek PO Box 11087, Klein Windhoek, NAMIBIA T +264 61 - 418 800 | E jackievr@xitnam.com
Providing high quality and affordable healthcare products and services to the northern regions of Namibia since 2008.
Contact Us:
Erf 5740 Main Road, Ongwediva, Namibia PO. Box 90142, Ongwediva Tel: +264 65 230078 info@newmedholdings.com
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ONGWEDIVA MEDIPARK
ONGWEDIVA MEDIPARK: KEY PROJECTS 1. Kidney Transplant 2. Breast, Cervical, and Prostate Cancer Awareness – through this programme we have screened over 4,000 people over various part of the country where we conducted the Campaign over the past seven years; Madame Penexupifo Pohamba, our former First Lady is the patron 3. Safe Motherhood – screened more than 2,000 expecting mothers in rural areas. Madame Monica Geingos, our current First Lady is the patron 4. Academic programme 5. Collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Namibia through partnership with the Ministry of Health & Social Services
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seeking healthcare services across the continent,” explains Iithete. “Travelling to foreign countries in search of better healthcare services and in doing so depriving opportunities to develop their own services on the continent. COVID-19 has presented an opportunity for countries to spend resources internally to fund services in Africa. All of us within the industry can now look and see how we embrace the opportunity, and we would like to achieve a healthcare system that responds to our communities’ needs.” With the effects of COVID-19 felt worldwide, Ongwediva Medipark, like many organisations, weren’t fully prepared to deal with a pandemic, however, having been impacted later than others in the industry, could learn from the experiences of others. “At Medipark, we coordinated to ensure that we protected both our employees as well as clients and
stakeholders,” discusses Iithete. “We coordinated through the Oshana Regional COVID-Response Unit and ensured that we set up a screening unit which is comprised of gatescreening, casualty/outpatient screening and cordoning off a Patients Under Investigations Ward. “We also established a 20-bed COVID-19 Isolation Ward which was fully equipped to cater for moderate to severe diseased patients including an in-house radiology unit, pharmacy and ventilatory support capabilities. We have two fully fledged clinical laboratories that also support COVID19 investigations and monitoring.” In May 2020, and in a bid to aid the country’s COVID-19 response, Ongwediva Medipark made a donation to the Oshakati hospital’s isolation facility. The donation consisted of two ventilators, a monitor, a suction unit and an emergency trolley. Ongwediva
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“WE ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT OTHER INNOVATIVE MEASURES TO KEEP STAFF WHO HAVE EMBRACED THE CONCEPT OF A MEDIPARK FAMILY” – DR TSHALI IITHETE, MANAGING DIRECTOR, ONGWEDIVA MEDIPARK Medipark has contributed significantly to the COVID-19 response, not just nationally but also regionally too. At the time, Dr Tshali Iithete commented: “We are cognisant of the fact that ventilation is critical in managing patients with COVID-19 who present severe respiratory compromise,” he said. “There is a critical shortage of ventilators worldwide. This shortage is even more glaring in our country. Ongwediva Medipark has also committed specialised skills to the regional COVID-19 response measures,
including specialist doctors, nurses and IT technicians.” Staff are an important pillar to Ongwediva Medipark and to recognise that, there are various forms of employment benefit. “We are constantly looking at other innovative measures to keep staff who have embraced the concept of a ‘Medipark Family’,” explains Iithete. “It is also important to motivate healthcare workers during this period of economic hardships amidst this unprecedented pandemic of COVID-19.”
Looking ahead, Iithete has clear aims for the future and believes it is fundamental to strengthen before expanding. “First and foremost, it’s important to consolidate our existing set up. In the future, we will expand to cater for the various surgical disciplines such as Cardiothoracic and Minimal Invasive Surgery,” he discusses. “The journey of Medipark has taken us through various stages. But ultimately, we would like to be considered as a medical hub and centre of excellence in healthcare within Africa.”
ONGWEDIVA MEDIPARK Tel: +264 65 232 911 info@ongwediva-medipark.com www.ongwedivamedipark.com
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ONGWEDIVA MEDIPARK Erf 7031 Ongwediva Business Park Auguste Tanyaanda Street Namibia Tel: +264 65 232 911 info@ongwediva-medipark.com www.ongwedivamedipark.com PRODUCED BY AFRICA OUTLOOK MAGAZINE