The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) took a key step towards realising President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's directive – that by April 2026, all civil servants should have the benefit of access to healthcare services from public facilities.
The Health Ministry undertook a comprehensive assessment of public healthcare facilities across the 14 regions.
Health and Social Services Minister Esperance Luvindao highlighted key challenges that include infrastructure, non-operational or inadequate medical equipment and staffing shortfalls in critical services – matters she said require urgent attention.
The Health Minister further pointed out issues such as stock management weaknesses and an inconsistent supply of pharmaceuticals.
The majority of the state's facilities, she noted, are not yet ready to absorb PSEMAS patients, due to matters that she said require systemic solutions.
In some cases, she stated, operational teams have already begun to address these shortcomings, urging all facilities in all regions to follow suit.
Dr. Luvindao described the assessment as not just a presentation of findings but a call for honest reflection, accountability and collective responsibility.
She emphasised the importance of using evidence gathered from the assessment to guide strategic interventions and remedial action.
The Health Ministry, she said, is running a phased, strategic transition towards April 2026, in a move driven by financial and social realities and aimed at strengthening public health infrastructure and services.
"The goal of Vision April 2026 is not so that senior government officials can make use of state facilities. The goal of Vision April 2026 is so that we get our state hospitals to a level whereby if the day-to-day patient from Havana, Hakahanna, or you name it, will use that hospital, it must be good enough for Esperance to use that hospital."
The state currently allocates about N$12 billion annually to healthcare, plus up to N$4 billion more for PSEMAS' more than 100,000 registered civil servants.