Namibia News

The ICD, since inception a century ago has become an integral part of strategic health information providing comparable data on the extent, causes and consequences of human disease and death.  This information is invaluable especially for service planning, provision of quality care and health research. 

Imagine a world where medical treatment of routine ailments or operations become life-threatening and stop responding to drugs. The seemly far-fetched scenario is becoming real and a danger to medical interventions with the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). 

WHO Namibia and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) launched the 1000 Days Campaign to improve nutrition of children during the period from conception to 2 years in 2022 first in the Ohangwena Region. Since then, the campaign has expanded to other regions and Omaheke was the latest region to adapt the 1000 days campaign.

Eighty learners from high schools in Windhoek and Osire are preparing to discuss pressing public health challenges of our time when they meet to simulate the United Nations in Windhoek.

The learners met at the United Nations office in Windhoek on Saturday, 21 October for mock simulations in preparation for the Model United Nations Namibia (MUNNAM) conference scheduled for 1 and 2 November. 

Model UN is a dynamic simulation of UN bodies that enables young people to take on the role of diplomats and thus gain first-hand experience in international relations and diplomacy. 

The United Nations 13th All Africa Games held in Swakopmund, Namibia on 22-23 September 2023 brought together competitive athletes and sport fanatics from across 10 African countries  for a thrilling display of talent, sportsmanship, and unity. This remarkable two-days event showcased the power of sports in fostering international cooperation and celebrating the rich diversity of African cultures. 

The Regional Office for Africa (AFRO), WHO Geneva in collaboration with WHO Namibia and the Ministry of Health and Social Services conducted a training on Global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Use surveillance system (GLASS) and WHONET tool in Windhoek, for 12 selected member states. The training aimed to build capacity of Member States to establish and/or enhance national surveillance systems for AMR and generate, collect, report, and use quality data to inform decisions at the country, regional and global levels.  

The Ministry of Health and Social Services with support from WHO  conducted a five-day tobacco training workshop to strengthen tobacco control measures in the country.   

The workshop that started on 11 September 2023 at Rundu in the Kavango East region also aimed at strengthening participants’ knowledge, skills and competencies through stakeholder engagement. 

The participants included environmental health practitioners from the Ministry of Health and Social Services and town councils, social workers, and  law enforcement agencies. 

Namibia received an onboarding training on the Epidemic Intelligence for Open Sources (EIOS) community to ensure that health threats are identified and responded to early and rapidly with no impact on lives and livelihoods. The training is being rollout by the WHO Regional Office for Africa to all its 47 member states with the aim of building a community of well-trained public health intelligence professionals.  

The Ministry of Health and Social Services in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) recently gathered for an After-Action Review (AAR) meeting in response to the recently ended Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic (CCHF) outbreak.   Various stakeholders gathered in Windhoek for a three-day meeting from 1-3 August 2023, to document activities that were carried out during the recently ended CCHF outbreak. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says a strategic solution to the equal distribution of vaccines is for developing nations to have their own capacity to produce vaccines. “It is really important to build our own capacity in systems, processes and institutions,” Dr Tedros said during a high-level meeting with Namibia’s Head of State, His Excellency Dr Hage Geingob, on 30 August 2023.