The NBC's Director General, Menesia Muinjo, has called for media inclusion during a meeting with visually impaired and disabled communities at Rundu.

Despite technical constraints in the Kavango regions, Muinjo committed to launching a dedicated TV and radio programme to champion their voices.

Former Board Chairperson of the Namibian Federation of the Visually Impaired and former NBC reporter Alfons Maketo has praised the NBC for its expanded regional coverage, which he said has greatly amplified local voices.

He called for more funding for the budget of the visually impaired division, as their teaching materials are more expensive.

Maketo emphasised the need to train reporters on how to cover stories of people with disabilities in general.

The Patron of the Northeastern Association for the Visually Impaired, Dr Tauya Muteka, highlighted confidentiality of patients' health records.

"You may encounter a situation where an individual who is visually impaired arrives at the hospital for an HIV test. This information is confidential and must be documented. However, we lack Braille machines in the hospital, which means we cannot record 'negative' or 'positive' results in a way that is accessible to them."

Chairperson of the North East Association for the Visually Impaired Dominga Mema also expressed his concern.

"Our society often views our presence as an accommodation rather than genuine inclusion. What we are asking for is active involvement; we want to feel like integral members of our community, not just to be present and seen as a liability."

Muinjo also shared the NBC's plans.

"Moving forward, we can no longer rely solely on traditional broadcasting; NBC must embrace inclusivity. We have made significant progress, as you have already heard, but I believe we can achieve even more. While our radio efforts are currently strong, we need to consider how we can enhance them further. It is essential that we engage all our audience members, ensuring they are present, following us, watching, and listening."