WHO Director General on official visit to Namibia

The Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has for the first time visited Namibia at the end of August 2023. 

Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus was briefed by WHO officials in Namibia and the   Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Kalumbi Shangula about the public health sector in the country. 

The public health situation in Namibia remained stable and has been strengthened during the Covid-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2022, Shangula said. 

Previously, Namibia experienced an overburden of communicable diseases such as HIV-Aids, tuberculosis and malaria. 

“Government increased investments into the public health sector to lower infection rates and to ensure access to treatment,” the health minister told Ghebreyesus during a meeting at State House with WHO delegation and President Hage Geingob. “The ratio between communicable and non-communicable diseases now stands at 50:50,”, he said.  

However, lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, cancer, and diabetes among the population was concerning. 

 The WHO boss stated that the world body would strengthen the capacities of its country offices worldwide, to better respond to diseases and possible health emergencies. He lauded the Namibian government for the way it coped with Covid-19. 

Ghebreyesus appealed to Namibia to lobby more African countries to ratify the Africa Medicines Agency (AMA) treaty.  

Namibia has recently ratified the treaty which will be set up once most African countries have ratified the treaty. 

  The agency will regulate medicines and related products and provide regulatory guidance across Africa. 

The WHO Director General also visited the Windhoek central hospital and a community social centre constructed in the Katutura suburb by the welfare organisation “First Lady of Namibia” (FLON), Monica Geingos. 

Brigitte Weidlich