Luvindao calls for urgency ahead of healthcare’s Vision April 2026
The health minister said despite billions spent on Namibia's public health system, many state hospitals remain plagued by poor hygiene and basic neglect.
Health minister Dr Esperance Luvindao has called for accountability and urgency as Namibia’s healthcare system prepares for Vision April 2026, a government directive aimed at ensuring state health facilities deliver care on par with private hospitals.Speaking at a feedback session following a nationwide health facility assessment conducted across all 14 regions earlier this month, Luvindao said the ministry’s goal was not to create luxury for senior officials, but to restore dignity and quality in public healthcare for the “day-to-day patient”.
“The goal of Vision April 2026 is not so that senior government officials can make use of state facilities. It is so that when a patient from Havana or Hakahana walks into a hospital, it must be good enough for anyone, including me, to use that hospital,” she said.
She stressed that cleanliness, functionality and basic patient care should not depend on high-level visits. “When I visit some hospitals, I find beds without linen, broken windows covered with tape, and wards that are simply not clean. Do you really need the minister to come from head office to tell you the hospital is dirty? These are basics. You don’t need a policy or strategy to tell you that a patient should not lie on a bare mattress,” she added.
Billions spent, standards still lagging
The Comprehensive Facility Assessment, carried out between 8 and 15 September, revealed widespread gaps in hygiene, infrastructure and resource utilisation – shortcomings Luvindao said can no longer be ignored.
None of the regional reports were made available to the media, according to the ministry’s spokesperson, Walters Kamaya.
The minister pointed out that government allocated N$12 billion to the health ministry this year, in addition to the N$3 to 4 billion spent annually through the Public Service Medical Aid Scheme (PSEMAS), which covers around 100 000 civil servants.
Despite this significant investment, many state hospitals remain under-equipped and poorly maintained, with inconsistent standards of care.
“Apart from the N$12 billion, billions more are spent every year on PSEMAS so that civil servants can access private healthcare. But what about the majority of Namibians who rely solely on public facilities? For equity and fairness, we must ask whether this system serves everyone equally,” Luvindao said.
She noted that Vision April 2026 seeks to reduce disparities by creating an environment where public hospitals are trusted, functional and fit for purpose, thereby reducing dependence on private care and medical aid schemes.
“We cannot continue to say, ‘this is the way it’s always been’. That is not good enough. We owe our people a better system, and we must build it together,” she stressed.
Grounded in reality
Luvindao acknowledged that Vision April 2026 would not solve every systemic issue overnight, describing it as a “relay race” rather than a single finish line.
“April 2026 is not the endpoint; it’s a milestone. We won’t fix everything in one year, but we must start somewhere. Each phase must leave us stronger and more capable than before,” she explained.
Key findings from the assessment included weak infection prevention measures; non-operational medical equipment; inconsistent pharmaceutical supply; and
critical staff shortages.
The minister stressed that while some challenges require national investment and reform, others such as basic cleanliness and routine maintenance, depend on local accountability. “Some facilities claim they don’t have linen, and we’re working to procure more. But in other places, the linen is in the storeroom, it’s just not being used. That is not a resource issue. That is a mindset issue,” she said.
Luvindao criticised what she described as a “culture of complacency” in some facilities.
“One nurse told me, ‘Minister, we’ve just gotten used to dysfunction.’ That cannot continue. The day-to-day patient is the VIP, and our facilities must reflect that,” she said.
The remainder of the meeting was closed to the media and the general public.