Housing in Namibia. © WHO / Julie Pudlowski
Namibia
Namibia’s vast landscapes, arid climate and dispersed population pose challenges for timely health service delivery. Increasingly frequent droughts and floods, intensified by climate change, are impacting livelihoods, food security and patterns of disease transmission, especially in rural areas and along its porous northern borders.
Although Namibia is not among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, it is experiencing growing knock-on effects from regional climate shifts and health threats. High levels of formal and informal cross-border movement with Angola, Botswana and Zambia underline the critical need for strong regional collaboration and coordination in emergency preparedness and response (EPR).
ALLOCATION
US$ 2.3 M
PARTNERS
Ministry of Health and Social Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Namibia Red Cross Society.
NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE
Co-chaired by Mr Penda Ithindi, Executive Director, Ministry of Health and Social Services, and Dr Richard Banda, Representative, WHO Namibia. NSC First convened 27 February 2025.
Climate-related health challenges
Namibia’s variable climate drives water scarcity, crop failures and food insecurity, disproportionately affecting rural and border communities. Prolonged droughts and sudden floods are altering the transmission of vector- and waterborne diseases, compounding the burden on an already stretched health system.
Environmental degradation, declining agricultural productivity and growing cross-border movements further increase vulnerability to public health emergencies. Namibia is prioritizing the integration of climate data into health strategies and early warning systems, to mitigate these converging risks.
Early warning and disease surveillance systems
Namibia will upgrade its surveillance and early warning systems through:
- Developing and implementing a digitized electronic Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) system, including field testing, end-user training and technical recruitment.
- Strengthening and expanding event- and community-based surveillance, using digital tools.
- Conducting a climate-health vulnerability assessment to inform the National Determined Contributions (NDCs).
- Supporting integration of health indicators in climate and food security assessments.
- Partnering with the WHO Centre of Excellence for One Health in South Africa to engage with the Climate-Health Observatory.
- Organizing prioritization exercises and capacity-building activities on zoonotic diseases and climate-health.
- Reviewing key policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs) related to surveillance and pandemic preparedness.
These efforts will be guided by a National Bridging Workshop, the Performance Veterinary Service for Animal Health and a Joint External Evaluation (JEE), which will inform updates to the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS).
Laboratory systems
Namibia aims to boost diagnostic capacity by:
- Updating existing laboratory surveillance tools, including verification visits.
- Strengthening food safety and water quality testing and analysis.
- Enrolling laboratories in the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) programme.
- Training laboratory staff in biosafety, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) monitoring and cross-sectoral diagnostics.
- Procuring essential laboratory equipment and commodities.
Strengthening human resources and public health workforce
To support a resilient public health workforce, Namibia will:
- Expand training under the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (FELTP) across all levels.
- Develop a multisectoral emergency workforce SURGE plan.
- Strengthen SURGE rosters and conduct capacity mapping.
- Establish a gender-balanced Health Emergency Leaders Network.
- Deploy SURGE staff using rosters to strengthen response and build capacity for One Health, climate health and health emergencies.
Other goals
Namibia will also:
- Strengthen, equip and operationalize the national Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) and support the establishment of regional PHEOCs.
- Deploy digital tools for emergency management.
- Build risk communication, community engagement and infodemic management skills.
- Train AVoHC SURGE teams and develop climate-sensitive outbreak response modules.
- Conduct simulation exercises and intra/after-action reviews.
- Establish functional Public Health Emergency Rapid Response Teams in all districts and enhance intersectoral coordination.
- Strengthen capacity of community health workers through curriculum adaptation and training.
- Promote project visibility through development of branded materials and strategic media engagement.
- Recruit short-term staff to support the implementation of the project.