As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Namibia, the U.S. Embassy also continues to provide support to the Ministry of Health and Social Services to respond to the challenges of COVID-19.
Many people in Namibia travelled within and outside the country over the festive season. It is important to understand how and where COVID-19 cases are now being transmitted. This means assessing the place and time of clusters of infections.
The U.S. Embassy, through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has extended its support to the Ministry of Health and Social Services to employee 11 data clerks and four public health specialists for an additional month. The original contract for the positions lasted three months, which was extended another month due to the severity of the COVID-19 situation.
The data clerks have helped process the results from the over 215,000 tests performed to date in Namibia. The personnel have been hired through local human resources agency Potentia Namibia Recruitment.
“As Namibia starts 2021, we must maintain our understanding of how COVID-19 is affecting the country. The U.S. Embassy is proud to be a partner in health, helping to strengthen Namibia’s response to COVID-19. We are helping to ensure that the decisions made are based on the latest information available. This makes it easier for Namibia to take necessary actions,” said U.S. Ambassador Lisa Johnson.
The funding to extend the contracts of 11 data clerks and four public health specialists for one month is part of the U.S. N$100 million donation to fight COVID-19 that was announced by the U.S. Embassy in April 2020.
