WINDHOEK – Most political parties contesting the November presidential and National Assembly elections agree health facilities at state hospitals are inadequate, dilapidated, under-equipped and need a facelift.
In the same breath, the political parties also call for affordable or free health care for the needy and want to see a future government rolling out a vigorous training programme for medical staff such as nurses and doctors.
Furthermore, the parties also share similar sentiments on the social welfare system in their manifestos – that social welfare is inadequate.
The National Democratic Party (NDP) says that if elected to power, it would open more clinics, health centres and hospitals in all regions and set up mobile clinics and send citizens for training for ten years.
NDP promises that senior citizens would not need to pay for medicine and no patient would be turned away because they do not have money, adding that the NDP would promote free health.
The Congress of Democrats (CoD) says it would use a radical approach to transform the current health and welfare system with comprehensive medical aid, medical insurance and a pension system to include public and private sector employees.
It says social workers, church functionaries, bishops, pastors, religious sector employees, employees in the farming sector, domestics, war veterans and children of war veterans would be included in such a scheme.
“All former exiles shall be given the opportunity for permanent rehabilitation, restitution and resettlement by state,” reads the manifesto, adding that war veterans need to heal the wounds of the past and damage caused by the history of genocide, dehumanization, expropriation of property, poverty, political oppression and economic exploitation.
CoD promises to provide medical insurance to unemployed youth, students as well as pensioners to allow access to health facilities.
The DTA of Namibia says Namibia needs a holistic care system that is universally accessible and affordable.
“The last health care policy dates back to 2010 and Namibia now needs a comprehensive health care policy to address complex health care challenges,” says the DTA.
The DTA says it would address a shortage of health care professionals, modernise all government hospitals and infrastructure, increase the number of paramedical and medical colleges, focus on rural health care delivery, give high priority to chronic diseases and invest in research and development.
The Swapo Party promises to upgrade existing infrastructure and develop new health facilities, undertake research and training to achieve national public health objectives, introduce health care packages and specialised services at district and regional hospitals.
Swapo says it will enact the public health bill, environmental health bill and food safety bill, traditional medicine and introduce high specialized services such as orthopedic and spinal surgery, hip and knee replacement, maxillo-facial surgery, blindness prevention, nuclear medicine and cardiac surgery.
“Under strategic intervention and improved access to health facilities and services, a number of infrastructure improvements were undertaken including the construction and renovation of various clinics, health centres and hospitals, renovation of maternity wards at Windhoek Central Hospital, Oshakati Intermediate Hospital and Opuwo District Hospital, while mortality rates from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria were drastically reduced,” state Swapo.
Swanu of Namibia plans to improve public health care by investing heavily in renovating the Katutura State Hospital and Central State Hospital, and streamlining public hospitals so that operations are smoother and cycle times for patients are significantly reduced. It also plans to phase in universal medical aid for those who cannot afford conventional medical aid and build new state hospitals to reduce pressure on current ones.
The Republican Party (RP) says it would ensure all state hospitals and clinics are well maintained and properly equipped, that hospitals, clinics and pharmacies are consistently equipped with the required medicine and priority is given to nurses and sisters to be employed and trained to meet international standards.
The RP says its government would subsidize those who cannot afford medical services if voted into power.
The All People’s Party (APP) says it would embark on mass training of nurses and other medical practitioners if they win the elections and added that retired professional nurses and doctors still fit to work would be called in to help out at clinics.
APP promised to revamp and expand a decadent ambulance system and each health district would have an ambulance, while all companies would be mandated to have full health care coverage for workers.
The Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) says that health for all is a priority and it would implement the Social Security Commission-backed up national medical insurance.
Furthermore, the RDP wants to provide accessible health to rural communities and give priority to primary health care.