Health and Social Services Minister, Dr. Kalumbi Shangula, has revealed suicide statistics from August 2022 to June 2023, which paint a grim picture of the suicide in Namibia.

During this period, 623 lives were tragically lost to suicide, with a striking gender disparity with 82% of cases comprising males and 15% females.

3.2% of these suicides occurred among the youth demographic.

These statistics, says Dr. Shangula, reveal a concerning suicide death rate of 21 per 100,000 people, underscoring the urgency of the situation.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services wants to ensure a long-term solution to the shortage of medical supplies at government central medical stores.

The ministry will also prioritize infrastructure development and the provision of general services.

The ministry is allocated a budget of N$9.6 billion for the 2023/2024 financial year.

Dr. Kalumbi Shangula said Namibia experienced subdued levels of service this year, owing to a lack of long-term contracts for the procurement and supply of pharmaceuticals.

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula today inaugurated the Heads of Departments' offices at the Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital. The offices were sponsored by the Pupkewitz Foundation to the tune of N$ 2.7 million.

Linked to the main hospital, the HoDs will ensure improved administrative professionalism and data storage on departmental statistics to better serve better train health professionals and the wider community. The hospital is one of the oldest in the country and caters to thousands of patients in the northern regions.

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Kalumbi Shangula, says half of Namibia's population still practices open defecation when nature calls.

Speaking at the Global Handwashing Day commemoration at Rundu, Dr Shangula said this makes hand washing even more important.

Although Namibia has made good progress in ensuring access to clean water, sanitation remains a challenge.

The two Kavango regions are expected to benefit again from the Recon Namibia medical equipment donations.

The donation is part of the second phase of Recon Namibia's N$15 million commitment to the Ministry of Health and Social Services' COVID-19 relief programme.

Recon Africa, through the Namibian branch, is committed to catering to the health facilities in the two regions.

Dr Kalumbi Shangula, Minister of Health and Social Services, stated that the Ministry was able to address the region's most pressing needs during the pandemic.