Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
Informanté
Walters Kamaya said amputation cause not yet verified; investigation ongoing
“Walters Kamaya, media liaison officer within the Health Ministry, said that at this stage it has not yet been verified whether the amputation of the arm was a result of, or was caused by, the initial treatment received at Otjiwarongo State Hospital.”
Boys’ arm amputated amid claims of medical negligence at Otjiwarongo HospitalThe Namibian
Walters Kamaya said ministry will provide monthly updates on medicine supplies
“"We will be giving updates on a monthly basis like we have been doing for the past months," Kamaya said.”
Medicine shortage hits mental health patientsThe Namibian
Health ministry spokesperson Walters Kamaya declined to comment on whether government officially changed project status from referral to district hospital
“Health ministry spokesperson Walters Kamaya declined to comment yesterday.”
Ondangwa hospital plans scaled downThe Namibian
Walters Kamaya says outstanding claims relate to 2025/26 financial year overtime
“Ministry spokesperson Walters Kamaya says the outstanding claims relate to overtime hours worked during the 2025/26 financial year.”
Gobabis nurses battling overtime paymentWindhoek Observer
MoHSS spokesperson Walters Kamaya stated that structural reforms and grading fall under the mandate of the Office of the Prime Minister
“Responding to questions from the Windhoek Observer on Monday, MoHSS spokesperson Walters Kamaya said matters relating to structural reforms and grading fall under the mandate of the Office of the Prime Minister.”
Environmental health practitioners petition govt for grade structure reviewThe Namibian
Walters Kamaya says nurses informed Windhoek City Police of Seibeb's escape
“"When it was noted he had absconded, nurses informed the Windhoek City Police and his relatives about the escape," Kamaya says.”
Windhoek mental health facility security risks exposedThe Namibian
Ministry spokesperson Walters Kamaya could not immediately comment on the medication shortages
“Ministry spokesperson Walters Kamaya could not immediately comment yesterday.”
Blindness risk as state hospitals run out of medicineThe Namibian
Ministry spokesperson Walters Kamaya says NHP members are welcome to seek treatment at government hospitals and clinics
“Ministry spokesperson Walters Kamaya says NHP members are welcome to seek treatment at government hospitals and clinics, emphasising that no patient would be turned away.”
Ministry of health offers public dental care to NHP members amid payment crisisNew Era
Walters Kamaya stated government committed to reducing waiting times through infrastructure and staff improvements
“"The ministry is committed to reducing waiting times through infrastructural refurbishments, staff redeployment, recruitment and skills enhancement. Improvements to hospital management systems, including appointment scheduling and referral pathways, are also underway. Additionally, telemedicine will be expanded to handle non-urgent, low-risk cases [green cases], thereby increasing capacity and ensuring service quality," stated Kamaya.”
Vision April 2026 to revolutionise public healthcareThe Namibian
Walters Kamaya outlined multi-step process for unclaimed bodies at hospitals
“Health ministry spokesperson Walters Kamaya says the process begins with making a list of unclaimed bodies, which is then submitted to customer care officers for dissemination through the media to try and trace family members or friends.”
Woman seeks to bury ‘unidentified’ partner of nine yearsThe San community in Bwabwata National Park, Zambezi region, says family members die while waiting for ambulances during medical emergencies. After three men were hit by a vehicle in August, one 90-year-old pensioner died while waiting five hours for an ambulance to arrive from Katima Mulilo, located 170–202 km away.
30 August 2026 · The Namibian →
The San community in Bwabwata National Park, Zambezi region, says family members die while waiting for ambulances during medical emergencies. After three men were hit by a vehicle in August, one 90-year-old pensioner died while waiting five hours for an ambulance to arrive from Katima Mulilo, located 170–202 km away.
30 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Diabetes patients in Namibia are finding it harder to obtain some medicines as shortages occur and more people use diabetes drugs for weight loss. The Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council recently warned of an increase in unauthorised GLP-1 and peptide medicines being sold on social media for weight loss.
23 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Nine patients, including seven minors, were admitted to Otavi Health Centre on 18 August 2026 after consuming vodka energy drinks that spilled from an overturned truck. All have been discharged in stable condition with no further referrals, according to the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
20 August 2026 · Informanté →
Education minister Sanet Steenkamp said no further Covid-19 cases have been reported at Delta Primary School hostel in Windhoek following a positive case involving a hostel caretaker, who is recovering well. The ministry has followed its standard operating procedures, including separation of children and disinfection of premises, with pupils expected to remain away until 7 September.
19 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Cleaners at Tondoro Health Centre in Kavango West have been assigned to construct an administrative building while continuing their normal duties, with no agreement on additional payment. The Ministry of Health and Social Services confirmed staff were asked to assist with construction due to lack of funds to hire a contractor.
16 August 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Health and Social Services is investigating an alleged assault involving a nurse at Outjo State Hospital over the weekend, after a patient's father questioned why the queue was moving slowly. A video circulating on social media shows nurse Molelie Geiseb in a heated argument with the father, Dankeni Tjilongo, who said he had waited more than six hours for service.
11 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Young Mayeyi people say the annual Batsara Cultural Festival, set for 2 August in Sangwali, provides an opportunity to reconnect with ancestral traditions, preserve their language, and celebrate an identity they fear could be weakened by changing lifestyles. Participants say the festival has evolved into a platform where younger generations can embrace their roots while giving their traditions a modern voice.
31 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
About six Namibian medical students studying in Zambia on Ministry of Health and Social Services scholarships report that their tuition fees, accommodation, and monthly allowances have not been paid consistently over the past two years, leaving them in financial distress and struggling to complete their training.
30 July 2026 · New Era →
Namibian medical students at Lusaka Apex Medical University report the Ministry of Health and Social Services has left them stranded with nearly two years of unpaid tuition fees and erratic living allowances, forcing them to seek financial clearance before exams and clinical rotations.
30 July 2026 · Namibian Sun →
The Ministry of Health and Social Services says a critical shortage of medicines at Rundu State Hospital and clinics is not isolated but a countrywide issue, with patients leaving without medications and those with chronic conditions at particular risk. The ministry says it is addressing the shortage and has committed to providing monthly updates on pharmaceutical stock levels at government Central Medical Stores.
21 July 2026 · Informanté →
A 31-year-old doctor at Onandjokwe Hospital was arrested over the weekend on allegations of raping a 26-year-old man at his room. The arrest comes three years after the Windhoek High Court acquitted the doctor of a separate rape charge involving an 18-year-old patient at Katutura Intermediate Hospital.
20 July 2026 · The Namibian →
A mother has alleged that her six-year-old son's arm was amputated at Windhoek hospital following complications from a cast applied at Otjiwarongo State Hospital in April 2026. She claims the cast was applied too tightly, causing nerve damage and turning the child's arm blue, and says the hospital has not explained what led to the amputation.
16 July 2026 · Informanté →
Government lawyers are accused of mishandling health-related legal cases and potentially sharing settlement payouts with senior ministry officials and claimants' lawyers. Between 2019 and 2024, the health ministry spent N$14.7m on medical claims, with about N$5.5m spent over the past year, amid delays in a nationwide medico-legal training programme.
6 July 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Health and Social Services' procurement committee has blocked senior officials' proposal to bypass public tender procedures for a N$1-billion medicine purchase, citing concerns that emergency procurement could be abused. The tender was meant to address medicine shortages at public hospitals and clinics.
28 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Mental health patients at Oshakati, Engela and Okahandja state hospitals are without medication due to shortages, raising concerns about relapses and worsening illness. The Ministry of Health and Social Services says it has received some deliveries and expects more in coming weeks, with monthly updates to follow.
25 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council has cleared Fabupharm Pty Ltd's paracetamol syrup for use after independent laboratory tests confirmed it met safety and quality standards. The clearance was issued in May following the product's recall last year, which came after routine inspection shortcomings were identified.
24 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The government has scaled down its plans to build an Ondangwa referral hospital, with Oshana governor Hofni Iipinge announcing the project will instead become a 700-bed district hospital. The feasibility study and environmental assessments have been completed, with the AfDB providing financing in collaboration with the ministries of finance and health and social services.
23 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Nurses at Gobabis State Hospital say they have not received overtime payments for months, with some claiming no payments since January. The Ministry of Health and Social Services acknowledges outstanding overtime claims from the 2025/26 financial year but says they are awaiting treasury approval.
17 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Environmental health practitioners and assistants across Namibia have petitioned the ministry of health and social services to review and upgrade their profession's grading structure, arguing that their qualifications and responsibilities are not adequately reflected in the current public service framework. The practitioners, who hold honours degrees and diplomas respectively, perform essential public health functions including food safety, water quality monitoring, sanitation, waste management, vector control, and disease surveillance.
16 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has cancelled pharmaceutical and clinical product orders worth N$44.8 million extended to 12 companies after suppliers failed to deliver medicines to the Central Medical Stores, including treatments for mental illness, cancer, and chronic conditions.
15 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Health and Social Services acknowledged systemic failures at the Windhoek Central Mental Health Centre, citing inadequate infrastructure and human resource deficits that contributed to poor supervision. The admission followed a patient escaping and a fatal police shooting incident.
14 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Shortages of essential chronic medications for hypertension, diabetes, and ophthalmology at Windhoek Central Hospital could result in suspension of surgeries and risk of permanent blindness. An ophthalmologist warns that the department lacks critical glaucoma and post-operative medications and cannot safely continue cataract operations without them.
12 May 2026 · The Namibian →
The family of Giano Seibeb, accused of trespassing at State House in Windhoek, is demanding to see closed-circuit television footage of the incident and wants answers on how he escaped Windhoek Central Hospital's mental health centre where he had been admitted. The incident led President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to suspend police inspector general Joseph Shikongo.
7 May 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has urged 83,048 beneficiaries of the Namibia Health Plan to access dental care at public health facilities after dentists affiliated with the Namibia Dental Association halted services, citing payment claim delays. The government assured patients would not be turned away, while Namfisa said it was urgently assessing the situation.
4 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's government has begun phased implementation of Vision April 2026, an initiative to transform public healthcare by improving accessibility, quality and citizen confidence. The programme, which mandates senior government officials to use public facilities starting April 2024, includes infrastructure upgrades, N$239 million in medical equipment procurement and recruitment of 2,307 health workers, with expansion to additional facilities planned for 2027.
17 April 2026 · New Era →
An Okahandja woman is appealing for help to bury her partner of nine years, who died in hospital in March but remains unidentified after authorities found no official records of him despite fingerprint checks. Social workers are investigating through community connections, and the woman hopes public appeal will help trace his family or origin.
15 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Health and Social Services will not take disciplinary action against four nurses, an intern doctor, and a doctor from Onandjokwe State Hospital accused of defrauding Sanlam of about N$1.9 million until police investigations are completed. The 12 arrested individuals are alleged to have helped members of the public claim insurance payouts using fake documents and fake death claims between 2020 and 2024.
14 April 2026 · The Namibian →
President Nandi-Ndaitwah ordered government officials to use public hospitals from April, but Windhoek Central Hospital's new VIP unit exclusively for senior officials has drawn opposition criticism as discriminatory and contrary to equitable healthcare goals. Opposition leaders and analysts argue the separate facility undermines the reform and mirrors apartheid-era segregation.
12 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The Development Bank of Namibia has allocated N$1 billion for construction of a 500-bed Windhoek District Hospital in Havana to address bed shortages and ease pressure on existing facilities in the Khomas region. The project is part of the government's healthcare infrastructure development plan and is expected to stimulate economic activity through construction and job creation, though land clearing remains pending before work commences.
5 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare visited Katutura and Central Hospital to assess readiness for a new policy requiring senior government officials to use State hospitals. The government has not yet decided which services will be offered at public versus private facilities; instead, patients will first be treated at State hospitals and referred to private providers if specialised care is unavailable.
1 April 2026 · New Era →