Windhoek: President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on Monday said significant milestones have been marked in the country's mission to expand primary health care and deliver quality services to all Namibians, particularly in rural areas.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Nandi-Ndaitwah, during the launch of the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6) and report of her first 100 days in office, in Windhoek, said public health campaigns have intensified with national roll-out of the voluntary Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign in May 2025 and the dissemination of awareness materials for malaria and cholera.
She said the Katutura Health Centre launched a decongestion pilot project on 02 July 2025 with extended clinic hours at the 24-hour facility. Okuryangava Clinic in Windhoek will also become a 24-hour facility from 01 August 2025 to ease pressure on Katutura Hospital.
Nandi-Ndaitwah also said seven sites have been identified for the construction of new clinics during this financial year at Mambushe in Kavango East, Ompundja in Oshana, Okondjatu in Otjozondjupa, Onamukulo and Onamafila in Ohangwena, Malengalenga in Zambezi and Epupa in Kunene region.
The groundbreaking of the Khomas District Hospital in Havana was completed in April 2025 with bulk earthwork services commenced as well as preliminary access roads and electrical services.
'To date, 604 medical positions were advertised and interviews conducted, during the reporting period, and 52 undergraduate scholarships for the 2025 academic year have been awarded for various health-related fields to augment local medical specialists and critical skills in the country, with graduation expected in 2030,' the president highlighted.
Nandi-Ndaitwah further said ambulance and mobile clinic coverage is improving with 36 new ambulances purchased and distributed to all 14 regions. An additional five ambulances were donated, three by the World Health Organisation and two by Langerheinrich Mine.
The procurement of 60 fully equipped mobile health vans which are essentially mobile health clinics is underway, targeting services across all 14 regions while the procurement of six new medical transport trucks is planned for this financial year.
A mental health rehabilitation centre with 48-bed capacity at Rehoboth is being renovated in collaboration with the Ministry of Works and Transport, she added.
To reduce pharmaceutical costs, Namibia is engaging with Egypt and India to enable direct government procurement. Plans for a pharmaceutical plant in Okahandja and a new Central Medical Store in Windhoek are also progressing.
'The work done so far sets a strong foundation for universal health coverage and equitable care for all Namibians,' Nandi-Ndaitwah concluded.