The Primary Health Care clinic here has been without water for three months, New Era has learned. As a result, the patients who have been visiting the clinic in Kavango West have been resorting to nearby bushes to relieve themselves, as they are unable to use the available ablution facilities due to a lack of...
Health
Mobilising resources to combat HIV
Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula has stated that to address the HIV epidemic, stakeholders engaged and mobilised resources to combat the spread of infection. The engagement also created an opportunity to provide the necessary medical countermeasures to restore the health of those affected, and save lives. “Looking back at the successes recorded, we can all...
No need for panic amid mpox scare ñ Shangula … truck drivers advised to get vaccinated
After the declaration of mpox as a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO), health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula called for calm, as Namibia has not recorded any case of the disease. He told Vital Signs this week that mpox has been endemic in many African countries, and is not...
28 malaria deaths in 7 months
KHORIXAS – Namibia has so far recorded 28 malaria deaths this year. In relation to the statistics, four deaths were recorded in Katima Mulio, three at Onandjokwe State Hospital, two in Oshakati, one in Gobabis, two in Okongo and three from Engela. More deaths were recorded in Andara, where three people died: one from Windhoek,...
Supporting employees with serious illnesses
On 29 November 2021, I received devastating news from one of Namibia’s top specialist physicians. He said, “Mrs Arangies, I am sorry to tell you that your bone marrow biopsy results reveal Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML), and unfortunately, Namibia lacks the necessary facilities and a haematologist to provide treatment.” This news completely shattered my world,...
Capricorn donates infusion pumps at Omaheke … as malnutrition remains thorny
The Capricorn Foundation recently donated 10 infusion pumps valued at N$264 500 to the Gobabis State Hospital paediatric ward.These pumps are essential for administering fluids to malnourished children admitted to the ward.Veripura Muukua, Capricorn Foundation coordinator, in an interview with Nampa on Tuesday said the pumps were handed over last week. She said approximately 2...
PrEP use taking off
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%...
Namibia not close to eliminating TB – Nangombe
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...
‘I am just waiting to die’ – Nuxab… A villager’s battle with psoriasis
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...
Government halfway through Psemas’ overhaul
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...









