GIZ donation facilitates WBCG’s support to trucker wellbeing

Amid the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic last year in Namibia, the WBCG Wellness Service as a provider of essential health and wellness services, continued providing these critical services to the transport and logistics industry as well as to other vulnerable communities. The WBCG has further integrated Covid-19 screening into its mainstream workplace wellness service package. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the Namibia Institute of Pathology, the WBCG will soon be rolling out Covid-19 testing at all its clinics and strategic cross border points.

The provision of the Covid-19 services was made possible through various stakeholder engagements and the support received from development partners. In particular, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) provided the WBCG with significant support to enable the WBCG’s Wellness Service to respond effectively to Covid-19.  The support from GIZ included, amongst others, a brand-new project vehicle, to facilitate stakeholder engagement; three container clinics, aimed at providing easy access to Covid-19 interventions for the transport and logistics industry; as well as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as part of the transport and logistics industry’s efforts to combat Covid-19.

The official handover of the GIZ sponsorship occurred at the recent launch event of the State of Logistics Report held in Walvis Bay. In an expression of gratitude towards GIZ, WBCG’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mbahupu Tjivikua, explained that the sponsorship comes at a critical time, as it enables WBCG to continue its mandate to facilitate trade and business development along the corridors.

Mr Tjivikua further noted that the WBCG Wellness Service has been at the forefront of fighting communicable and non-communicable diseases in the transport and logistics industry. They have been responsive to the health challenges of truck drivers, expanding on the wellness services offered to this mobile population.  Services offered include confidential medical test results for specified communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Covid-19, tracking of vehicles, loads and drivers, contact tracing and queue management at border post and other facilities.

Speaking at the event, Mrs. Ursula-Hein Rooinasie, the Head of Component at GIZ’s Transport, Mobility and Logistics Project said that the transport and logistics sector in developing countries is particularly vulnerable to economic shocks and requires all efforts to minimise the impacts. “It is against this background that the GIZ Transport, Mobility and Logistics project has procured goods worth 6 million Namibian dollars which includes three fully furnished mobile containers clinics to be place in Walvis Bay, Keetmanshoop and Outapi. Additionally, COVID-hygiene material such as isolation tent, masks, disinfectants and other protective gear was provided. The procured goods are aimed to assist WBCG’s efforts to prevent the further spread of the Corona virus at border crossings and along corridors. To enable effective operations, salaries of staff at the container clinics were also funded. It is our intention to strengthen rules and regulations put into place by the Namibian Government, while ensuring the continuation of logistics operations.”

The WBCG is grateful to all the donor and development agencies as well all our stakeholders for their continuous support, which will ultimately lead to WBCG’s sustainability.