Also known as: Luvindao · Minister of health and social services · health and social services minister · health minister Luvindao · minister Luvindao · Dr. Luvindao · Dr Luvindao · Health and Social Services Minister Esperance Luvindao · Hon. Dr. Luvindao · health minister · Hon Dr Luvindao · health minister Esperance Luvindao · Dr Esperance Luvindao · Dr. Esperance Luvindao · Dr Esperence Luvindao · The Minister of Health and Social Services · the Minister of Health · Minister of Health and Social Services Dr Esperance Luvindao · Health minister Dr Esperance Luvindao · the health minister
Minister of Health and Social Services overseeing health system strengthening, disease prevention, and maternal-child health improvements across Namibia.
Stagnant water and low indoor residual spraying coverage, driven by community resistance to malaria spraying, have been identified as main factors behind high malaria cases in Omusati Region. From January to 12 April, 7,510 cases were recorded in the region, including 586 hospital admissions and 12 deaths.
Why it matters
Health emergency: Omusati malaria surge reaches 7,510 cases (12 deaths) blamed on stagnant water and community resistance to indoor residual spraying.
Stagnant water and low indoor residual spraying coverage, driven by community resistance to malaria spraying, have been identified as main factors behind high malaria cases in Omusati Region. From January to 12 April, 7,510 cases were recorded in the region, including 586 hospital admissions and 12 deaths.
Minister of health Esperance Luvindao told the National Assembly that Namibia needs N$17 billion to N$18 billion over five years to effectively run and upgrade public healthcare. The current annual health budget stands at approximately N$13.1 billion, but the minister said the increased funding would support upgrading existing facilities and building new intermediate and district hospitals.
Japan, the UN, and global partners have launched major investments to strengthen Namibia's health system, including three key projects focused on emergency preparedness, disease prevention, and diagnostic capacity. The initiatives, valued at approximately N$18.4 million, will benefit more than 118,000 people across eight hospitals and vulnerable regions including Kunene, Omusati, and Otjozondjupa.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services held a strategic meeting with over 50 clinical specialists from Windhoek's main public hospitals, led by Minister Dr Esperance Luvindao, to discuss service delivery improvements and patient care. The engagement focused on preparations for the upcoming financial year and provided a platform for healthcare professionals to share challenges and propose solutions, with a follow-up meeting planned for June 2026.
The Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters has challenged the health ministry's decision to transfer rather than suspend officials allegedly involved in pharmaceutical theft and stock record manipulation. Health minister Esperance Luvindao said due process and Public Service Commission regulations must be followed before suspensions can occur.
Algeria has committed to fully fund the construction of a medical polyclinic in Namibia, as confirmed during a State House meeting between President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Algeria's Ambassador Abdelkrim Diaf. The initiative strengthens bilateral ties and follows past health cooperation agreements dating to 2008.
Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital has suspended all elective surgical procedures after running out of critical anaesthetic agents required for general anaesthesia, with similar supply constraints affecting the Central Medical Stores. The suspension is intended to prioritize limited supplies for emergency cases, and has raised parliamentary concerns about patient safety and operational stability at public health facilities.
Round 3 of Namibia's National Polio Vaccination Campaign will run from 20 to 23 April, following 90% coverage in Round 2. The health ministry says closing the 10% vaccination gap is critical after poliovirus was detected in sewage samples from Windhoek and Gobabis, signalling active circulation within the country.
A 120-bed maternity ward at Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital in Oshikoto has been inaugurated by Health Minister Dr Esperance Luvindao. The facility, costing N$57 million and described as the largest in the country, replaces a 1964-era maternity building and aims to address long-standing healthcare needs for expectant and new mothers.
Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital has reduced its maternal mortality ratio from over 400 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1998 to 70 per 100,000 in 2026, ahead of the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 3 target for 2030. The hospital's newly opened 120-bed maternity unit features advanced facilities and has also improved neonatal outcomes and reduced patient waiting times significantly.