Roche Diagnostics has urged the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) to reassess policies and redirect financial resources toward improving women’s health in Namibia.
Speaking during Roche Africa’s press day in South Africa, Roche Diagnostic Managing Director for South Africa and Southern Africa Network Lead, Marilynn Steenkamp, stressed the urgent need for increased access to diagnostic testing in Namibia to improve early detection of diseases affecting women.
As part of its commitment to improving healthcare access, Roche, in collaboration with MoHSS and the Cancer Association of Namibia, is actively working to support and expand breast cancer clinics across Namibia.
“Roche is busy trying to find ways around supporting the expansion of breast cancer clinics. So, we have already established this, and we are now looking at how we can expand this across Namibia. We are also engaging the Ministry of Health to support them with the strategic national control plan, which will also feed into the programme on how to expand clinics across Namibia,” Steenkamp said.
Roche’s long-term goal is to establish an integrated care system that addresses the burden of breast and cervical cancer in Africa, with an ambitious target of reaching 320 million women by 2026.
Highlighting Roche’s impact on the continent, Steenkamp revealed that over 725,000 patients in Africa benefit from its medicines, and in February 2024 alone, 35,000 individuals were screened for cancer.
Beyond expanding access to medical services, Roche is also committed to breaking the stigma surrounding women’s health issues.
The company is focused on encouraging open conversations about disease awareness and the importance of seeking medical support.
Roche has been actively involved in Patient Access and Government (PAG) programs across Africa, focusing on improving healthcare accessibility and addressing key health challenges.
Since 2023, the company has collaborated with the World Health Organisation’s Regional Office for Africa to provide cancer care services in Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.
