As living costs continue to rise and access to medical services remain out of reach for many families, Dr Elifas Shapumba’s free healthcare initiative has renewed hope among vulnerable communities.
With three medical practices at Walvis Bay and Ondangwa, Dr Shapumba has taken healthcare beyond the clinic walls by providing free medical service campaigns since 2023.
Launched by former Walvis Bay mayor Trevino Forbes, the initiative has so far taken place five times.
The first campaign was held at the Dunes Mall at Walvis Bay, with subsequent initiatives at old age homes and multi-purpose centres around the town, which also saw the youth benefit through sex education.
Over 1 000 community members have thus far benefited from the initiative, which includes free health check-ups, essential screenings, and counselling aimed at early detection and treatment, says Shapumba.
“Facilities are set up in areas where financial constraints often delay preventive healthcare, resulting in late diagnoses and avoidable complications,” he adds.
The most recent outreach programme held at Gwashamba Mall at Ondangwa in December highlighted the urgency of accessible healthcare services, he says.
Over two days, Dr Shapumba and his team offered medical services, such as blood pressure checks, blood sugar tests and general medical examinations, to over 300 residents.
“The queues were long each day, with people coming from surrounding areas. Many received preventive healthcare services for the first time because they could not afford them before.”
He says seeing patients delay treatment due to financial challenges is what motivated him to engage in the initiative.
Local media reports indicate that the initiative has been widely welcomed by residents in need of medical care.
“We did not only provide basic health education, but also offered personal counselling on early disease detection and lifestyle changes. This initiative has greatly influenced how we view medicine,” he says.
Dr Shapumba believes healthcare goes beyond medication alone.
“Medicine is not just about prescriptions. It is also about listening, explaining and uplifting people’s spirits.”
He says the impact of the free services cannot be measured only in numbers.
“At Ondangwa, families were visibly relieved to finally undergo tests they had postponed for years.”
Several elderly residents who received free treatment expressed gratitude for the services. One of the pensioners at Ondangwa, Hileni Abe, was diagnosed with an abnormality, and referred to the state hospital.
Abe described the free medical services as a miracle for which she was very thankful.
“We need more free treatments in our community. Some of us are very old and live far away to travel to hospitals, like at Onandjokwe,” she says.
Markus Thomas, who underwent an overall body check-up, says he cannot afford to access private medical services.
He says he really appreciates knowing the status of his general health.
Dr Shapumba plans to continue expanding the outreach programme this year to ensure that healing and hope reach the most disadvantaged members of society.
Due to public demand, the next campaign will take place on 9 January at Gwashamba Mall.
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