EENHANA – The Federal Republic of Ethiopia will continue to support Namibia towards improving the number of health care providers such as health extension workers in Namibian communities.
As part of a bilateral agreement Ethiopia will provide Namibia with training programmes for its health professionals, including health extension workers, nurses, technicians and pharmacists, among others.
Addressing health extension workers from Ohangwena and Omusati regions in Eenhana last Thursday, the Ethiopian Minister of Health, Dr Kesetebirhan Admasu Birhane, said the two countries have similar health challenges of maternal deaths and communicable and non-communicable diseases.
However, Ethiopia has improved its health status drastically, it being a positive story for Africa’s renaissance.
“As the fastest non-producing country in Africa with a population of 90 million, Ethiopia is now ahead of its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Our maternal death rate has been reduced to less than 50 percent and it is in this case that as government we have come to share our positive story with Namibia,” said Birhane.
Birhane said Ethiopia as a country previously had one of the worst health indicators in the world but it managed to meet the challenges at the household level.
“We have ‘modern families’ in Ethiopia and would like this model to be implemented here in Namibia through the training of professionals such as health extension workers. You remain professionals at the village level and therefore you are the link between a family at the village and the nearest clinic. Every family should have a ‘family folder’ where as health extension workers you supervise these families at the village level,” the Ethiopian health minister elaborated.
Birhane who was accompanied by his Namibian counterpart, Dr Richard Kamwi, also advised health extension workers to instill discipline in the discharge of their duties.
Kamwi said that it is through health extension workers that the African continent would reach the MDGs hence the bilateral agreement with Ethiopia to provide resources for training, which elicited thunderous applause from the health extension workers present.
Kamwi said the shortage of health workers in all categories in Namibia, especially in rural areas, was critical but added: “The Namibian government is gradually shifting resources to the disadvantaged regions like in Ohangwena Region focusing on the promotion of health related services, clinics, outreach services and mostly community based health care. Your role as health extension workers is to promote disease prevention, hygiene, sanitation and immunization, and perform maternal and child health assessment and supervision in your respective communities.”
He said the health extension programmes were rolled out with the assistance of Ethiopia in Zambezi, Kavango, Ohangwena, Omusati and Kunene regions.
However he urged regional councillors to shun nepotism in the recruitment of local health extension workers.
“To all regional councillors witnessing this address, please stop recruiting your relatives and girlfriends as happened in Zambezi Region. I am totally disappointed by what was done by one councillor in Zambezi. Let’s create employment for all members of the communities, not our relatives and girlfriends,” he said.
Currently a total of 565 health extension workers are undergoing training in various regions.
The first pilot-testing project was introduced in Kunene and was sponsored by UNICEF and the European Union (EU).
The event in Eenhana was attended by senior government officials, Namibian Ambassador to Ethiopia Namakau Mutelo, UNICEF officials, the Governor of Ohangwena Region, Usko Nghaamwa, and regional councillors from Ohangwena.
By Clemence Tashaya