Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, has commended Founding President Sam Nujoma for his transformative contributions to Namibia’s healthcare system since independence.

Speaking at the memorial service in Nujoma’s honour on Tuesday, he highlighted Nujoma’s introduction of the Primary Healthcare Policy, which laid the foundation for Universal Health Coverage. He emphasised that this policy led to significant improvements in maternal and child health indicators across the country.

Shangula, who was part of the medical team caring for Nujoma, described him as an exemplary patient.

“As a patient, he would religiously fulfil the doctor’s instructions. I used to refer to him as a model patient; a patient that every doctor would yearn to have,” the minister said.

Shangula added that he first met Nujoma in 1974 in Lusaka, Zambia.

“I had numerous interactions with the founding president during the years in exile, most closely during meetings of the Plan Military Council, of which he was the chairman and of course, Commander-in-Chief of the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan). Comrade Nujoma was a brilliant military strategist and tactician, and he commanded Plan to victory,” he added.

After independence, he worked closely with Nujoma as his personal physician, and accompanied him to various destinations in and out of Namibia.

“I marvelled at his approach to conflict resolution, notably, between various traditional authorities. He would go to great lengths to gain the trust of the feuding parties and resolve the conflict successfully,” Shangula told mourners.

Former Cabinet minister Helmut Angula also paid tribute to Nujoma, describing him as a humble and sentimental leader.

Recalling a visit to Nujoma’s Farm Etunda in 2023, he shared a touching moment when Nujoma showed him a pair of hair clippers he had gifted him in 1972 in Moscow. 

“At the time, I advised him to shave off his beard. He still had the clippers, my goodness. Farewell comrade president, farewell our leader,” Angula said.

He said he often visited Nujoma at his farm and they exchanged gifts.

Angula also encouraged President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who was in attendance, to realise Nujoma’s vision of pumping water from the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo to Namibia.

“He was always deeply concerned about water, especially in rural Namibia. Comrade Netumbo, the idea of drawing water from Congo is not dead as others may perceive. It is feasible,” he said.

Nandi-Ndaitwah has previously supported the idea, stressing that it is possible.

–Nampa