The Office of the Prime Minister has authorised the health ministry to add 11 438 new posts to its workforce, a move that is expected to greatly improve the ministry’s ability to fill important roles and improve service delivery.
Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula said to address staffing shortages and improve the quality of care, they have established new posts for doctors, chemists and nurses in health centres and district hospitals.
“The aim is to bring services closer to the communities and thereby reduce the need for referral of patients to health facilities far away from their places of residence and these positions will also support the implementation of new health services the ministry has introduced in the last two years,” said Shangula.
The minister was speaking during the launch of the ministerial customer service charter in Windhoek this week.
It will help to ensure that more patients in underserved areas receive the care and expertise they require by increasing the number of health care workers. The ministry also hopes to improve service delivery and guarantee that essential health services are available to everyone.
Shangula added that the ministry has made and continues to make significant strides in strengthening human resources for health by capacitating and expanding the health workforce.
“The ministry is engaging in an expedited recruitment effort to fill vacancies. This is a testament to our commitment to addressing shortages of skilled health professionals. For instance, in the last month alone, we recruited 40 doctors for Oshakati Intermediate Hospital and 40 for Katutura Intermediate Hospital. Other hospitals across the country have also been assigned new doctors. Cadres, such as nurses and pharmacists, have been recruited for different facilities around the country,” he detailed.
He added: “It allows us to visualise, manage and report on the health workforce with greater accuracy and efficiency, driving operational improvements across our facilities. The system produces the Annual Health Workforce Status Report, with comprehensive data that can be used to better address gaps, forecast needs, and align our human resources management with the demands of a dynamic health care environment,” said Shangula. The lawmaker stated that they have also completed various health infrastructure projects as part of strengthening health systems.
“Recent assessments indicate that over 75% of Namibians resides within a 10 km radius of a health facility. This is a positive step towards bridging the accessibility gaps. During the 2024/2025 financial year, I commissioned various new primary healthcare facilities. These include Oroutumba Health Post in Kunene region, Ombili Clinic in Otjiwarongo, Linyanti and Malengalenga Clinics in Zambezi region, Shamaturu in Kavango East and Gcaruhwa in Kavango West regions, and Oshikulufitu in Omusati region, among others,” he highlighted.
Shangula said strengthening health systems, including workforce and infrastructure, leads to efficient and effective delivery of services, aligning with the Customer Service Charter and enabling healthcare professionals to meet patient expectations.
-psiririka@nepc.com.na
Photo: Heather Erdmann