Namibia's former Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Richard Kamwi, has been elected President of the Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA) Executive Council.
Dr. Kamwi's appointment places Namibia at the forefront of continental efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other emerging public health challenges.
He has over 35 years of experience in the health sector, including serving as Namibia's Minister of Health and Social Services from 2005 to 2015 (period).
Dr. Kamwi continues to play a critical role in championing malaria elimination and strengthening healthcare systems across Africa.
Speaking during an interview on NBC's Good Morning Namibia, Dr. Kamwi said the achievement reflects his personal contribution to healthcare and Namibia's leadership in addressing major diseases in Africa.
"First, I believe it is essential to put things into perspective. During the outbreak of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, Namibia was one of the first countries in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly within the SADC region, to respond effectively. I vividly recall that I was a deputy minister when my minister, the Honourable Dr. Libertina Amadhila, tasked me with launching the ARV programme. Since then, once I assumed office, we worked together as a team, and I can confidently say that by the time I left, 97% of HIV-positive mothers were giving birth to HIV-negative babies. This achievement, in itself, is remarkable and demonstrates the leadership that our great country has shown on the international stage."
As president of the SAA Executive Council, his priorities include strengthening capacity building, research, training, and access to new technologies to fight HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, and other emerging diseases across Africa.
"I believe the foremost priority is to tackle the challenges associated with capacity. It is essential for society to focus on the management and control of HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria throughout the African continent, ensuring that adequate training and research are established. Furthermore, efforts must be made to develop new tools to combat these major killer diseases, as well as emerging and re-emerging health threats."
He also called on African governments to increase domestic funding for healthcare instead of relying on international donors.
"The Namibian government must see to it that the Ministry of Health and Social Services is capacitated in terms of resources and that medicines are in place. You cannot just be crying for resources from elsewhere, but governments – and I'm just giving an example of the Namibian government. Botswana, South Africa, Eswatini, Morocco – all 54 member states must see to it that there is sufficiency in terms of resources."
The Society for AIDS in Africa Executive Council is the primary governing board responsible for guiding the continent's response to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and emerging public health threats.