WINDHOEK, Oct 14 (The African Portal) – Namibia has launched a new five-year health strategy and policy aimed at strengthening universal health coverage as the country works to address persistent challenges in its healthcare system, Health Minister Esperance Luvindao said on Monday.
Speaking at the launch of the Ministerial Strategic Plan 2025–2030 and the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) policy document in Windhoek, Luvindao said Namibia’s life expectancy has risen from 47 to 56 years, but the system still faces pressure from both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
She said the country continues to struggle with uneven distribution of healthcare workers and infrastructure, gaps in service quality, and barriers preventing vulnerable people from accessing essential care.
“The UHC policy document is Namibia’s direct response to these challenges, providing an extensive framework to ensure all Namibians have fair access to quality health and social services without financial hardship,” Luvindao said.
Despite ongoing obstacles, she noted that the country has made significant progress in recent years.
“Our health-adjusted life expectancy has risen significantly from 47 to 56 years, and the UHC service index has improved from 39% in 2000 to 63% by 2024,” she said. “We have achieved historic milestones, including receiving WHO bronze and silver-tier certification for being on the path to eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and hepatitis B.”
Luvindao said the strategic plan will guide the ministry’s work for the next five years, while the UHC policy outlines measures to improve access to quality healthcare without financial strain.
“We aim to significantly reduce maternal and child mortality, continue placing HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria on a declining path, and substantially increase our UHC index,” she said.
United Nations Resident Coordinator in Namibia Hopolang Phororo, speaking on behalf of the UN, said collaboration was essential to achieving universal health coverage.
“The government alone cannot achieve universal health coverage,” Phororo said. “Unified efforts involving healthcare workers, communities and academia are required to realise that goal.”
This story was written with additional files from Nampa
