Windhoek
A team of health experts that were in the country last week have commended Namibia for continuously investing in the education of health professionals, saying its efforts are “impressive”.
The health experts from academia, the United States of America’s Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), among others, were hosted by the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“Namibia is investing in the future and that is really important. It will be key to offer those who graduate a clear career path in their own country,” reads part of the report consisting of recommendations.
The experts also took note of the memorandums of understanding with foreign academic institutions for Namibia to train its people.
Furthermore, the team acknowledged that Namibia has well organised veterinary services and zoonotic surveillance systems with qualified personnel at all three levels and in-country training for veterinary professionals and para-professionals
A rabies eradication programme has been initiated as a pilot study in one of the districts and there are plans for expansion to the whole country, reads a portion of the report.
Furthermore, the team expressed the need for a review of the public health workforce strategy to include all relevant professionals for health security, including epidemiologists, veterinarians, social scientists and logisticians, and to establish minimum recruitment norms for health security at all levels.
The team also expressed the need for a strengthened collaboration between human health, animal health and wildlife through establishment of a one-health platform.
“This platform could provide a forum for sharing of data between sectors,” reads the report.