Having a sickly infant and not knowing what the problem is, is the most daunting thing a parent can go through. Not having the ability to afford healthcare is an even bigger problem, according to Sophie (not her real name). The mother of a one-year-old is one of the beneficiaries of the food support by...
Universal health coverage (UHC) is one of the World Health Organisation’s top priorities as it works towards equitable access to essential health services without people being exposed to financial hardship, says WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He added that shockingly, half the world’s population cannot access one or more essential health services. “While access...
The holiday season poses two problems for the Blood Transfusion Service of Namibia (NamBTS), one being fewer blood donors available to donate, as they go on holidays and travel, shop, and prepare for the upcoming festivities. The other challenge is that blood demand increases with motor vehicle accidents on the roads as people travel to...
Jennifer Rigby Ange Kasongo Sonia Rolley LONDON/KINSHASA (Reuters)—Adults started getting vaccinations against mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital this week. But there were no shots available for children, the most vulnerable group after a key dose donation was held back by an old legal hurdle. Japan pledged in September to donate three million...
It is the first week of school for three of the Haingura sisters, and though they’re understandably apprehensive about their new environment, there’s a sense of renewed hope in the air. Once dimmed by hardship, their dreams for the future are rekindled thanks to the support from the USAID/President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)-funded...
Chelva Wells The Namibian public healthcare sector performs Caesarean sections (C-sections) for 12% of all births annually, contrasting sharply with the private sector’s 73%. This difference reflects varying practices and resources between the sectors. Executive director in the Ministry of Health and Social Services Ben Nangombe in an interview with Nampa on Tuesday stated that...
Poverty eradication minister Doreen Sioka said malnutrition, food insecurity and inadequate healthcare are pressing issues that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. The current statistics show a bleak picture, which indicates 4 188 cases of malnutrition in children under five years old, as well as women diagnosed with anaemia in 2023. “Despite our many strengths, there remains...
The establishment of clinics is part of government’s drive to expand and improve access to healthcare services, and to demonstrate commitment to realising the goals of Universal Health Coverage, says health minister Kalumbi Shangula. The construction of health facilities such as the Malengalenga Clinic ensures that patients and clients do not walk long distances to...
The health ministry says the country recorded 28 deaths from 12 286 malaria cases in 2024 with the Zambezi, Ohangwena, Kavango East, Kavango West and Oshikoto regions reporting the highest number of incidents. Minister of Health and Social Services Kalumbi Shangula said four of the deaths were from Zambezi. Malaria is endemic in 10 out...
The co-chair of the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics, Monica Geingos, said to effectively end the AIDS pandemic and prepare for future health crises, there is a need to confront the complex web of inequalities that exacerbate these challenges. The Council is composed of global experts from academia, government, civil society, international development...