Vice President Lucia Witbooi has launched new guidelines and a digital medical assessment programme aimed at transforming the assessment process of persons with disabilities.

According to the 2023 Population and Housing Census, Namibia recorded over 150 thousand persons with disabilities, up from over 98 thousand in 2011.

The disability pension remains a key social protection measure, with the monthly grant increasing to N$1,700 in April this year.

The guidelines are expected to address delays and inconsistencies in the previous assessment process while improving access to social protection.

Witbooi said the previous system created difficulties for both health professionals and applicants, affecting access to social protection and other essential services.

She noted that the digital system could reduce delays, minimise duplication, improve information management and support evidence-based decision-making.

"Digitalisation should not simply mean replacing paper with computers. It must mean better, faster and more accountable service delivery.”

She added that the system will also make it easier to trace assessments and understand why particular decisions were made.

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Esperance Luvindao, said for years, some persons with disabilities have questioned why the outcome of their medical assessment could differ depending on where they were assessed.

Dr Luvindao, however, explained that the new guideline is intended to bring consistency, objectivity and accountability to the process.

She also highlights that the digital programme is not intended to create another bureaucratic layer but rather to simplify the process and improve turnaround times.

"So when when we hear about 'digitisation', sometimes we get scared. But the purpose of digitisation is speed and efficiency. That's what we want."

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Emma Kantema, stated that for years, applying for a disability grant was cumbersome, particularly for beneficiaries in remote areas.

She also noted that the old system created backlogs, with some applications taking months to process, and the digital platform is expected to address these.

The minister's speech was delivered on her behalf by Deputy Director Wilbard Nashandi.

“The era of relying on paperwork and vulnerable manual processes ends today. Our new digital disability grant application platform replaces these persistent vulnerabilities and delays with a secure, transparent and streamlined digital architecture.”