Namibia News

Windhoek, 1 March 2011 -- Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the major public health concerns in Namibia with 13 332 TB cases reported in 2009. The emergence of drug-resistance tuberculosis (DR-TB), which is more difficult to treat, is on the rise. TB is also the world’s biggest killer of people living with HIV. In Namibia, 60% of TB patients are HIV positive.Namibia is one of the few countries, in which patients can receive free comprehensive care for both TB and HIV.

WHAT: Media Invitation to the Launch of First Lady Campaign on Male Involvement in Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT)

WHO: His Excellency, President of the Republic of Namibia, Mr Hifikepunye Pohamba; First Lady of the Republic of Namibia, Ms Penehupifo Pohamba, Honourable Prime Minister M Nahas Angula; Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Richard Nchabi, Kamwi; Honourable Governor of Khomas Region Samuel Njoma, WHO Representative, Dr Magda Robalo, UNICEF Representative, Mr. Ian MacLeod

WHEN: Date: 10 March 2011: Time: 09H00 – 12H00

Windhoek, 5 April 2011 -- The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) will commemorate World Health Day from 6-7 April 2011 under the theme “Combat Drug Resistance: “No action today, No cure tomorrow”. Anti-microbial resistance (AMR) occurs when medicines that have proven to work are no longer effective to fight more lethal and tough germs.

Luanda, 7 April 2011 -- The Angolan Minister of Health, Dr. José Van-Dunem, and the Minister of Health and Social Services of Namibia, Dr. Richard Kamwi, on Tuesday 5th April 2011 signed a joint statement in which they committed themselves to coordinating and improving health interventions along the borders between the two countries.

Windhoek, 7 April 2011 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) commemorated World Health Day on 7th April under the theme “Combat Drug Resistance: “No action today, No cure tomorrow” and launched a six-point policy package that sets out the measures governments and their national partners need to combat drug resistance.

Windhoek, 13 April 2011 --  “The worst flooding in decades has cut off thousands of people from health services”, said WHO Representative, Dr Magda Robalo, following a mission with Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Richard Kamwi to assess the health sector response thus far and areas requiring additonal support. The high-level team over this last weekend visited several health facilities in the four most affected flood regions: Omusati, Oshana, Ohangwena and Oshikoto.

Ondjiva 25 April 2011 -- On World Malaria Day, Namibia’s and Angola’s Health Ministers with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) signed a historical Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that launched the Trans-Kunene Malaria Initiative (TKMI). The MOU aims to strengthen cross-border collaboration to reduce malaria transmission to zero in the Trans-Kunene region comprised of Cunene and Namibe provinces in Angola and Kunene, Ohangwena, Omusati regions in Namibia.

Windhoek, 3 May April 2011 -- The World Health Organization has received nearly USD 251,000 ( N$1.7m) from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to respond to the health impact of the country’s worst flooding in decades. The floods have affected more than 230,000 people and as many as 40 health clinics and 180 outreach health points were rendered inaccessible in the regions of Oshana, Ohangwena, Omusati, and Caprivi. Consequently, many flood-affected people particularly in isolated communities have limited to no access to health care.

Windhoek, 10 May 2011 -- The World Health Organization(WHO) Country office in Namibia and the Namibian Red Cross Society (NRCS) today announced its joint health strategy to respond to the flood emergency. Following a consultative meeting, both partners agreed for the need to intensify health promotion and hygiene education interventions, strengthen disease surveillance and ensure that communities access health services using both organizations’ key strengths.

Windhoek -- On 11 May, Namibia along with more than 150 countries worldwide launched the Global Decade of Action for Road Safety by initiating the Namibian Chapter of the Decade of Action 2011-2020, developed by the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) in collaboration the World Health Organization (WHO), the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund among other stakeholders. To symbolize the launch, a special commemorative postage stamp produced in collaboration with NamPost was unveiled.