A National Health Facility Assessment has revealed major gaps across Namibia’s public health system, showing that most facilities are not yet prepared to accommodate civil servants under the Public Service Employee Medical Aid Scheme (PSEMAS).
The findings come after President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah directed earlier this year that, from 2026, all civil servants under PSEMAS will be limited to using public health facilities, and instructed the Ministry of Health to develop a plan to redirect usage from private to public institutions.
Health Minister Dr Esperance Luvindao said the assessment identified urgent shortcomings, including weak infection prevention and control, non-operational or inadequate medical equipment, staffing shortfalls in critical services, inconsistent supply of pharmaceuticals, and stock management weaknesses.
“Majority of facilities are not yet ready to absorb PSEMAS patients,” she said.
She explained that the Ministry is applying a phased approach to strengthen the public health system ahead of the 2026 deadline.
“This is a sure, gradual, and principled transition. It ensures continuity, while steadily shifting resources to build our own capacity and facilities. Most importantly, it accelerates Namibia’s journey toward Universal Health Coverage, ensuring that every citizen has equitable access to quality healthcare, funded fairly and sustainably,” Dr Luvindao said.
The transition will prioritise establishing essential services in public facilities, decongesting hospitals, upgrading service quality, and gradually reducing reliance on outsourcing.
Central to this initiative is the effective use of Namibia’s health budget, which exceeds N$12 billion, alongside PSEMAS expenditures, to achieve equitable and sustainable health outcomes.
According to Dr Luvindao, progress has already been made in stabilising pharmaceutical and clinical supplies. In Phase 1, purchase orders were signed with 13 manufacturers for 205 of 575 pharmaceutical items and 382 of 454 clinical supplies at a total cost of N$860 million, yielding minimum savings of N$221 million.
Phase 2 began on 26 September 2025, with Requests for Offers sent to 120 pharmaceutical and 26 clinical supply manufacturers, with offers expected to close on 16 October 2025.
She also stressed the importance of accountability, urging health managers to respond to findings requiring basic interventions such as facility repairs, stock distribution, and improvements in staff culture.
She said the assessments were critical for understanding current capacity, identifying priority facilities, and planning strategic investments.
The exercise used three tools: Health Facility Needs Assessments, Hygiene and Cleanliness Audits, and Vision April 2026 Readiness Assessments.
“Vision April 2026 is more than a policy; it is a promise to ensure taxpayer money is used wisely and that every Namibian benefits from a stronger, fairer public health system,” Dr Luvindao said.
