The World Health Organisation (WHO) has highlighted great concern over the continued use of different forms of tobacco, especially among the young population, despite significant strides in public health awareness. 

The concerns noted by the WHO Officer in Charge of Namibia, Dr. Mary Brantuo, were shared by WHO representative Laimi Ashipala at the World No Tobacco Day commemoration at Tsumeb in Oshikoto on Friday.

Although tobacco use in the adult group has recorded a decline in 2023, it has picked up in the young adolescent population, especially among girls.

Sexually transmitted infections continue to pose significant public health challenges, causing 2.5 million deaths each year globally.

This is according to a new World Health Organisation report issued on Tuesday.

In 2022, WHO member states set out a target to reduce the annual number of adult syphilis infections by tenfold by 2030, from 7.1 million to 0.71 million.

New syphilis cases among adults aged 15–49 increased by nearly one million in 2022, reaching eight million, with 230,000 syphilis-related deaths.

A delegation comprising Japanese Ambassador Hisao Nishimaki, UN Resident Coordinator Hopolang Phororo, and UNICEF Country Representative Sam Ocran visited the Rundu Intermediary Hospital in the Kavango East Region recently.
 
The visit was part of an impact assessment of Japanese assistance to the Kavango East health sector.
 
The Kavango East Region's population of close to 220,000 is served by 31 health facilities, 28 health centres and clinics, two district hospitals, and the Rundu Intermediate Referral Hospital. 

The public health situation in Namibia remains stable and under control, and the government is pleased with the World Health Organisation's (WHO) performance.

This assurance was provided by the Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Kalumbi Shangula, during the courtesy call by the WHO Chief at State House.

In the past, Namibia experienced an overburden of communicable diseases such as HIV, TB, and malaria.

This has seen the government increase investments in the health sector to bring infection rates under control and ensure access to treatment.

The Minister of Health and Social Services Dr. Kalumbi Shangula says, although the World Health Organisation has declared the end of the COVID-19 pandemic as a global health emergency, and Namibia has seen a decline in the positive rate, the country will not ignore its existence.

More than 775 million people were affected, while close to 7 million people died from the pandemic globally. 

Namibia had its fair share of infections and fatalities. 

The Health and Social Services Minister, Dr. Kalumbi Shangula has expressed Namibia's commitment to achieving universal health coverage by 2030, in line with the global goal of ensuring access to quality healthcare for all. 

This commitment was one of the resolutions adopted at the 76th World Health Summit in Geneva.

Namibia joined over 170 member states at the World Health Summit in Geneva, which focused on a primary health approach and ensuring the highest standard of health for marginalized and less privileged individuals in society. 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative Dr. Charles Sagoe-Moses says Namibia has made great strides in public health having eradicated and lessened the number of communicable diseases.

Namibia is prepared and has a response plan in place in the event of a possible polio outbreak.

This comes after stakeholders participated in a three-day Polio Simulation Exercise in Windhoek.

Namibia had its first Polio Simulation Exercise in 2018.

The country managed to score only slightly over 47% in terms of preparedness as well as on its response plan.

The WHO Polio Eradication Officer, Tenywa Emmanuel, said the results of the recent exercise proved to be much better.

The availability of medical equipment is key to the provision of quality health care services.

Health and Social Services Minister Dr. Kalumbi Shangula made this remark when he received medical equipment from South Korea and Iceland through the World Health Organization.

The purpose of the donation is to aid the government in improving the health of pregnant women and newborns and increasing the quality of care in the provision of other essential health services.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, has urged Namibians to protect themselves by getting tested for COVID-19 and to ensure that they get vaccinated.

Briefing Nampa on the current COVID-19 status, Shangula said the situation is being monitored and is stable, although there has been an increase in COVID-19 cases.

Shangula, says Namibia has seen an upsurge in cases over the last seven days, especially in the Khomas Region, where an average of five cases per day have been recorded.