The parents of a stillborn baby boy, who was pronounced dead at birth and later allegedly went missing from the Windhoek State Mortuary in December of last year, are still searching for answers.

Patricia Pienaar and Randall Garieseb say that they are enduring a nightmare as they face challenges in finding closure.

Patricia's story begins with a full-term pregnancy, during which everything seemed normal.

She shares her excitement about becoming a mother again.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) has introduced the Pelebox Smart Lockers to provide access to pre-packed chronic medication for HIV, diabetes, epilepsy, and TB patients in the Katutura State Hospital.

The Centre for Disease Control in Namibia provided technical and financial support.

Health Minister Dr. Kalumbi Shangula said the introduction of Pelebox Smart Lockers would improve the rates of adherence to treatment among patients on chronic medication as well as decrease treatment defaults in the country.

The Director of Primary Health Care Services in the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Naemi Shoopala, has called on all nurses to evolve and sharpen their technology skills as the world becomes increasingly digitised.

Shoopala said this during the commemoration of International Nurses Day at the Katutura Hospital.

Shoopala touched on the importance of universal health coverage and the need for nurses to keep up with the new trends within the profession, which include specialisation and technological advancement.

MPs in the National Council have applauded the Ministry of Health and Social Services for some major achievements and completed programs during the previous fiscal year.

The MPs called on the government to consider employing community extension health workers who helped health professionals and community members during the COVID-19 pandemic.

They have also requested that rural clinics operate on weekends and build more facilities that are accessible to people with disabilities.

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.

Nuclear science and technology hold enormous potential and can help any given country solve pressing social and economic issues. 

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Kalumbi Shangula, has therefore directed the new Atomic Energy Board to mobilize stakeholders and develop common agendas for the enhancement of nuclear science and technology in Namibia.

The health of almost 12,000 children living with HIV across Namibia has rapidly improved due to dolutegravir medication.

The child version of the HIV drug was introduced in July 2021 by the Ministry of Health and Social Services in partnership with the U.S. government.

Dolutegravir, or DTG, has proven to be more effective in treating HIV and less likely to cause side effects in children.

However, according to a media release by the US Embassy in Namibia, there are still challenges to treating and caring for children living with HIV.

The Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund, in partnership with the Mariental Town Council, the Ministry of Health and Social Services, and the Namibian Police, has launched an Emergency and Medical Regional Response Center at Mariental.

The emergency rescue center, to operate from the Mariental Fire Station and serve the Hardap Region, will provide emergency medical care and stabilize injured accident victims.

Namibia has launched the Breast and Prostate Cancer Research Project in collaboration with the African Caribbean Cancer Consortium.

The project aims at promoting health and early detection as well as identifying factors that contribute to breast and prostate cancer.

The project will be carried out by different countries in the private and public sectors to encourage a healthy society.

The research will explore effective means to prevent, capture data, diagnose, and treat breast and prostate cancer.

Tuberculosis (TB) infection remains a major health challenge in Tsumkwe.

The health facilities in the area continue to record a higher number of new infections, with the Drug Resistant TB strain being the highest compared to elsewhere in the country.  

To resolve the situation, the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) has deployed groups of health workers who move from village to village to create awareness about TB. 

The healthcare workers also collect sputum samples from community members who are coughing, for diagnosis.