The Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) has launched an innovative hub at Swakopmund for manufacturing medical consumables, including laboratory products such as specimen tubes and vials, at a cost of N$14 million.
Officiating at the event, NIP's Board Deputy Chairperson, Vaino Shivute, described the initiative as a crucial moment in Namibia's journey toward health sovereignty and economic empowerment.
Shivute said the facility has an annual production capacity of 5.5 million units.
During Phase 1, the project focuses on non-additive tubes, including urine and stool specimen cups.
Shivute stressed that the development has attracted investments totalling nearly N$15 million, which include a machinery grant exceeding N$3 million from the German government and the European Union through GIZ.
He further added that the second phase will focus on expanding production for additive-filled tubes and enhancing Namibia's capacity to serve not only the local market but the SADC region.
"By producing our own laboratory consumables – specimen tubes, vials, and beyond – we are dismantling the chains of dependency. No longer will we wait for external shipments to save lives at our healthcare facilities across our 14 regions. No longer will our health security hinge on distant supply chains. Here, on Namibian soil, we take control of our future and redefine our path towards self-sustenance."
Also speaking at the event was the Senior Programme Officer for the SADC Secretariat, Calicious Tutalife, who urged African countries to support Namibia in realising the dream of industrialisation.
"We don't have a process of regional preference within SADC not functioning where we say if I can't find it within my borders, I should go to the next country in the whole region first, until, if only if the region cannot satisfy that, then I can go global. Then, how do we support manufacturing? We want to see a country within SADC that says, Because we don't have tubes in our country, Namibia has tubes."
The Programme Manager of the European Union, Susan-Marie Lewie, also witnessed the new developments and said, "The NIP initiative has been the direct response to this call for this new cutting-edge facility that will produce the tubes needed for the experiment specimens for the laboratory experiments, which are essential in the SADC. This represents a significant milestone for regional pharmaceutical manufacturing and public health preparedness, and we commend Namibia for transforming a crisis into a long-term change."
This manufacturing hub is expected to create direct employment for 15 professional scientists in its initial phase.
It would also require engineers, technicians, quality control officers, security personnel, cost accountants, cleaners, dispatchers, and drivers.
As production scales up, plans are in place to expand employment to over 20 jobs.
The impact of this initiative goes well beyond the factory floor.
In partnership with NUST and UNAM, the facility will act as a training ground for future engineers and innovators.