Also known as: minister Luvindao · Dr. Luvindao · Dr Luvindao · Health and Social Services Minister Esperance Luvindao · Hon. Dr. Luvindao · Hon Dr Luvindao · health minister Esperance Luvindao · Dr Esperance Luvindao · Dr. Esperance Luvindao · Dr Esperence Luvindao · Minister of Health and Social Services Dr Esperance Luvindao · Health minister Dr Esperance Luvindao · current health minister Esperance Luvindao · Health and social services minister · Health Minister Dr. Esperance Luvindao
Esperance Luvindao — Namibia's Minister of Health and Social Services, leading healthcare system reforms and pharmaceutical supply initiatives amid ongoing medicine shortages.
Minister of health and social services Esperance Luvindaotoldparliamentarians they would not be forced to use public health facilities
Source
“In response to this, minister of health and social services Esperance Luvindao has told parliamentarians they would not be forced to use public health facilities.”
Dr Esperance Luvindaosays the directive to shift civil servants' medical care from private facilities to State hospitals is set to createat least 2,000 jobs within the health sector
Source
“Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Esperance Luvindao, says the directive by the Head of State to shift civil servants' medical care from private facilities to State hospitals is set to create at least 2 000 jobs within the health sector.”
Luvindaosaid the transition is designed to correcta two-tier healthcare structure where majority rely on public facilities while senior officials access private services
Source
“Luvindao said the transition is designed to correct what has long been viewed as a two-tier healthcare structure – where the majority of citizens rely on public facilities while many senior officials access private services through the Public Service Employees Medical Aid Scheme (Psemas).”
Minister Esperance Luvindaosays health facility assessment conducted in September last year evaluatedinfrastructure, staffing, equipment and service readiness
Source
“Minister Esperance Luvindao says a health facility assessment conducted in September last year evaluated infrastructure, staffing, equipment and service readiness, with selected hospitals earmarked for phased upgrades.”
Health minister Esperance Luvindaotold Parliamentphase one of NIP project started operations this year, provides products for self-use
Source
“Health minister Esperance Luvindao told Parliament last Thursday that phase one of the project, which started operations this year, provides products for self-use.”
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has removed Fransina Nambahu as registrar of medicines at the Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council and appointed Frieda Shiweda to the position effective 1 June 2026. Sources told the Windhoek Observer that Nambahu was removed after refusing to approve substandard medicines, contradicting the ministry's stated reason of structural review.
Why it matters
Health ministry's removal of medicines registrar and replacement raises questions about drug approval standards and ministerial independence.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has removed Fransina Nambahu as registrar of medicines at the Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council and appointed Frieda Shiweda to the position effective 1 June 2026. Sources told the Windhoek Observer that Nambahu was removed after refusing to approve substandard medicines, contradicting the ministry's stated reason of structural review.
Namibia's Minister of Health and Social Services Esperance Luvindao has been selected among 15 women for the 2026 fifth cohort of the Amujae Initiative, a pan-African leadership programme. She was recognised for her work advancing healthcare systems and sector reforms, including recruitment of over 2,000 healthcare workers and launching Namibia's first digital health policy.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services is considering a proposal to refer state cancer patients from the northern regions to the Namibian Oncology Centre for chemotherapy and radiation treatment at state cost, under a proposed contractual agreement. The proposal aims to ease pressure on patients who currently travel long distances to Windhoek, though it has sparked internal debate about outsourcing care while government facilities face funding shortages.
The government proposes a public-private partnership with Rhino Park Private Hospital, where state surgeons would use the private facility's theatres during off-peak hours to operate on public patients and clear around 9,600 elective surgical backlogs at Katutura Intermediate and Windhoek Central hospitals. The arrangement aims to reduce the combined backlog by 30% within 12 months, despite concerns from medical doctors that the state's own 20 theatres in Windhoek are underutilised due to medication shortages.
Medical specialists at public hospitals dispute health minister Esperance Luvindao's assertion that pharmaceutical stock levels have improved to 60%, saying critical shortages of essential medications continue to affect patient care across departments.
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare said President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah should be allowed to serve her full two constitutional terms without distraction from succession debates, which he called premature and deliberately designed to undermine the administration.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services says national pharmaceutical stock levels stand at an estimated 60%, with several essential medicines low or out of stock across public healthcare facilities. Health minister Esperance Luvindao announced monthly reports on pharmaceutical and clinical product deliveries to improve transparency, while noting the national target remains 80% stock availability.
The Asoli Progressive Party president Josef Kauandenge has criticized President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Health Minister Esperance Luvindao for not addressing public shortages of critical medicines in state hospitals, saying the president should have explained the causes and outlined remedial measures, and questioning the ministry's commitment to eliminating middlemen in procurement.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services reports national pharmaceutical stock levels at 60%, below the 80% target, with several essential medicines understocked or out of stock across public healthcare facilities. The ministry will now issue monthly reports on pharmaceutical and clinical product deliveries to improve transparency and stabilise supply levels.
The Asoli Progressive Party has criticized President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah for what it describes as insufficient response to ongoing medicine shortages in public hospitals, with the party's president Josef Kauandenge saying the government has not acted with enough urgency. Public concern has grown in recent weeks after patients were referred to private pharmacies due to stock-outs, though the Ministry of Health and Social Services announced it will now provide monthly updates on pharmaceutical supplies, with current stock levels at about 60% of required quantities.
The Namibian editorial argues that Namibia's mental health system is in crisis, citing a security breach at State House, a fatal police shooting of a man with mental illness, and nurse safety fears as symptoms of deeper problems. While a new mental health bill promises modernisation and human rights alignment, the editorial warns that laws alone cannot treat patients and calls for immediate systemic action alongside legislative reform.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services inaugurated a renal dialysis unit at Katima Mulilo State Hospital, with government investment of more than N$7 million, to provide kidney disease treatment locally and reduce the need for patients to travel to other towns.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services will cover funeral costs for two nurses and a driver who died in an ambulance crash on the B1 road between Otjiwarongo and Okahandja earlier this month; nine patients also died in the crash. Health minister Esperance Luvindao said the driver tried to avoid the collision but could not find a safe escape route, and assured bereaved families the government would provide counselling services.
Namibia marked World Malaria Day 2026 by reaffirming its commitment to fight malaria, particularly in northern regions where cases are rising. Health Minister Dr. Esperance Luvindao stressed that malaria is preventable and treatable, calling for stronger prevention and early detection efforts supported by coordination with the Africa CDC, WHO, and regional partners.
Dr Esperance Luvindao officially inaugurated a new board for the National Institute of Pathology, appointing Stephanie Viljoen as chairperson, Lucia Kazetjikuria as vice-chairperson, and Helvi Haludilu and Chris Hiquano as members to serve for three years. The minister called for a results-driven approach and stressed the importance of integrity.
Namibia's Atomic Energy Board, chaired by Shitaleni Herman and appointed for a three-year term, will focus on reviewing legislation, strengthening technical capacity, and assessing projects as the country implements its Cabinet-approved Nuclear Industry Strategy. The strategy is now part of the sixth National Development Plan, the first time nuclear development has been included at that level.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has started a nationwide polio vaccination campaign following virus detections in sewage at Rundu and Gobabis, with the health minister declaring an outbreak despite no confirmed cases. The last reported polio cases in Namibia occurred in 2006, when 35 cases and 11 deaths were recorded.
Twelve people died from malaria in Omusati region in the first four months of 2026, with the region recording 7,410 confirmed cases out of 57,180 nationally, according to statistics released by Omusati governor Immanuel Shikongo during World Malaria Day commemoration. Countrywide, 61 people have died and 3,067 were hospitalised, with the governor describing the figures as alarming.
An editorial in The Namibian questions the pace of the Anti-Corruption Commission's investigation into corruption allegations at the Ministry of Health and Social Services, citing files provided by former health minister Bernard Haufiku in 2020 and warning that prolonged delays undermine accountability and discourage witnesses.
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.