The Minister of Health and Social Services, Esperance Luvindao, says the ministry is not in a position to automatically absorb all unemployed medical officers, dentists, or other health practitioners immediately upon completion of their internship due to a lack of resources.

Dr. Luvindao was responding to IPC MP Lilani Brinkman, who sought clarity on the ministry's plans to absorb medical dentists into the public health system.

"The pace and the absorption capacity of medical interns are a function of financial resources that are provided to the Ministry of Health and Social Services. So over the long term, however, the absorption must also be determined by the demand for services in relation to the population that they are to serve. We are in coordination with the institutions of learning to ensure that programme intake is aligned to demand for service to avoid market oversupply."

The minister also responded to Swapo Party MP Fenni Nanyeni's call for the strengthening of trauma centres in public hospitals.

Nanyeni raises concerns regarding patients funded by the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund relying on private hospitals despite the entity being financed by taxpayers through the fuel levy.

" Currently, the fund is consulting with the Ministry of Health and Social Services on various projects such as the renovation of theatres, ICUs at the Windhoek Central Hospital and the Intermediate Hospital, Katutura. The fund is also currently at an infant stage of setting up a trauma centre in Windhoek, which will complement existing health facilities. Land acquisition has been finalised with the city of Windhoek and the paperwork is expected to be finalised within the next financial year."