Dr. Esperance Luvindao, the Health and Social Services Minister, has announced that the ministry is updating its laboratory policy to guide the future development of laboratory services and promote technological advancement.

This initiative is a crucial step toward modernising Namibia's laboratory systems, which require ongoing investments in infrastructure, workforce development, and restructuring.

Speaking at the NAMLS 2025 congress on transforming laboratory medicine, Dr. Luvindao acknowledged the often-overlooked contributions of pharmacists and laboratory employees.

She highlighted their essential role in safeguarding public health, providing timely results, and enabling informed decision-making, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The minister urged the public to refrain from criticizing the ministry's initiatives and instead focus on the positive progress being made.

She emphasized the importance of collaboration in improving services and stressed the need for Namibia to achieve self-reliance in the health sector, particularly regarding laboratory services.

Kapenda Tjombonde, Chief Executive Officer of the Namibia Institute of Pathology, reaffirmed the institution's commitment to advancing laboratory medicine and enhancing its preparedness for universal health coverage as a provider of lab services.

She highlighted efforts to improve services, including replacing aging instruments, initiating research projects, and developing inclusive pathology training systems in collaboration with NUST and UNAM to ensure timely results.

Hendrick Hendimbi, President of the Namibia Association of Medical Laboratory Sciences, expressed concern over the country's limited capacity for conducting clinical trials.

He proposed establishing a dedicated directorate for laboratory medicine within the Ministry of Health, emphasizing the need for a regulatory framework to address the rapid increase of laboratories and ensure the delivery of quality laboratory services.