Spearheaded by the health ministry and supported by global partners, such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Namibia’s implementation of pre-exposure prophylaxis, known as PrEP, demonstrates the country’s strong commitment to comprehensively combat HIV. PrEP is a preventive pill that decreases the potential of contracting HIV through sex by up to 99%...
Rudolf Gaiseb Health executive director Ben Nangombe said despite government and donor efforts poured into fighting Tuberculosis (TB), the country’s dream of eliminating the disease is far from being achieved. In a recent interview, Nangombe said the World Health Organisation (WHO) classifies Namibia as a high-TB burden country, based on the high concentration of people...
Apel Pos, just 15 kilometres from Tsumkwe, is like any other village. However, the villagers are concerned about their neighbour, Fritz Nuxab (44) who suffers from a severe skin condition. Nuxab said he can’t recall exactly when the condition began. What he knows is that, around 2020, he took himself to the Tsumkwe State Hospital...
The Namibian Public Service Medical Aid Scheme (Psemas) has encountered several issues over the years. These issues range from ghost members, excessive costs, and overage dependents. Fortunately, efforts are currently underway to overcome these issues and improve Psemas’ effectiveness. According to the 2024/25 to 2026/27 medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF), progress on Psemas reforms for 2024/25...
Battling a kidney disease is harrowing, and conforming and keeping up with the recommended diet is challenging to many who do not have the financial means. Kidney dialysis patient Simon Halweendo (42) said it is tough keeping to his diet as it is expensive. He is not allowed to eat fats and food with high...
Michelle Hiangoro said over time, she discovered a passion for fitness that went beyond just physical health as it became part of her mental and emotional well-being, and then later as a career. Hiangoro, who is a fitness trainer at a local gym, said she is working towards maintaining overall health, increasing her strength and...
Fitness coach Peter Sakaria, who has trained both professional and amateur boxers, emphasises the importance of making time to exercise, regardless of age or fitness level. Sakaria, one of the coaches running Extreme Bootcamp in the capital, advocates for the myriad benefits of staying fit and healthy. “There are more benefits to fitness than just...
Health is wealth. The international community agrees that good health is of social and economic value to individuals, society and the economy in general. Good health enables the prosperous and flourishing societies that governments strive to achieve. Investing in health is a wise choice in the best of times and an urgent necessity in the worst of...
Lahja Nashuuta Residents of Havana have welcomed the construction of the Windhoek District Hospital as a move in the right direction. “Our government is truly helping the nation with its initiatives. People will no longer walk long distances to see doctors at Katutura Intermediate and Windhoek Central National Level Hospital. We are very happy about...
The director of the Nutrition and Food Security Alliance of Namibia (NAFSAN) Ben Schernick says undernutrition in the form of stunting or wasting seriously impacts health. He told New Era this happens while affected individuals are vulnerable to additional health conditions, and many children die of malnutrition in hospitals every year. According to the latest...