The Africa Regional Tobacco Control Partners Coordination Meeting is underway in Windhoek.
The main aim of the three-day meeting is to strengthen coordination of tobacco control efforts across Africa and to align strategies to reduce tobacco use and its health impacts.
The Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services has reaffirmed the government's commitment to safeguarding public health through science-based strategies, stronger outreach and cross-sector collaboration.
The Executive Director of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Penda Ithindi, shed light on the Vision April 2026, focusing on the plans for public healthcare improvements.
Namibians could soon see changes in how public healthcare is funded once the Universal Health Coverage Bill is enacted.
The landmark bill, amongst others, seeks to establish a robust legal and institutional framework to ensure that all Namibians access essential health services.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services is conducting regional consultations on the Universal Health Care Bill.
The consultations will discuss key provisions of the Bill, including access rights and financing reforms.
Namibia’s National Assembly recently resumed debate on the long-awaited Mental Health Bill, receiving full support from the entire house.
However, several Members of Parliament (MPs) raised concerns about insufficient infrastructure to adequately house mental health patients.
Members of the National Assembly have welcomed and supported the Mental Health Bill introduced by the Ministry of Health and Social Services while offering suggestions to strengthen its provisions.
The Chairperson of the National Council, Lukas Muha, has highlighted Namibia’s progress in advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC), noting that the country’s UHC policy was formally approved in February 2025.
The Cabinet approved the common guidelines for the operationalisation of the National Youth Fund, which include an initial outlay of N$257 million and subsequent yearly official subventions.
