Health professionals in both private and public hospitals have been advised to focus on delivering high-quality healthcare and treat patients with compassion.

A case in point the Executive Director in the Health Ministry, Ben Nangombe, referred to was when a patient reported distress while seeking treatment at a private health facility. 

Nangombe, who was speaking at the inaugural Quality Management Conference, stated that the incident was not the first.

He emphasised the importance of enhancing quality service.

"When we talk about quality, we are talking about how this affects the individuals that we serve. So it should not be lofty statements; we must be able to cascade it to be at the lowest of levels where the population interacts with the health systems. We must reflect on the current state of the health system."

Although the ministry made strides in strengthening health care services and prioritising patient safety by developing quality management, emphasis has been placed on effective implementation.

"The Ministry has, for a number of years, implemented Quality Improvement collaborating together with our development cooperation partners, particularly those focused on addressing specific gaps in HIV care and maternal and newborn health that shows our commitment to translating policy into tangible, high-quality healthcare practices," said Deputy Health Minister Dr. Utjiua Muinjangue.

Samuel Ocran, UNICEF Country Representative, also emphasised the importance of quality care service. 

"When care improves, at all levels, it contributes to increasing efficiency and cost-effectiveness, driving evidence-based practice, and further ensuring patient safety. Once these are in place, our clients, the community, and stakeholders."

Centre for Disease Control Country Director, Dr. Brian Baker, said, "Ensuring that services are high quality is neither simple nor easy. While all healthcare systems seek to provide quality services, doing so requires strong health systems and requires putting policy into practice."

Namibia has made strides in lowering child mortality rates. 

The 2024 UN report indicates that deaths among children under five dropped from 40 per 1,000 live births in 2020 to 38 in 2023.
 
Newborn deaths decreased from 20 per 1,000 to 19 in the same period. 

However, Namibia is to miss the Sustainable Development Goal for health by 2030 and projects to meet that only in 2038.