The National Digital Health Policy was launched today.
Expected to guide innovation in the delivery of healthcare services into the next decade, the legal blueprint was launched by Health and Social Services Minister Dr Esperance Luvindao.
The 2026 to 2036 digital health policy encompasses everything from mobile apps and electronic health records to telehealth and artificial intelligence, all designed to strengthen the country's health systems and improve individual well-being.
Dr Luvindao described digital health as the use of technology to help people stay healthy, prevent disease and access medical care more easily.
"When you look at e-health, digital health as a whole, you are looking at the entire system, a system that is able to allow us to do consultations, online consultations; with the congestions that we have at health facilities, we should not be afraid of this. I mean, for a common cold, does someone really need to stand in a line at the Katutura health centre and wait for 4 to 8 hours?"
The landmark policy is designed around six bold and measurable objectives, which include robust governance, integrated infrastructure, an empowered workforce, fostering innovation, equitable access and sustainable financing.
"Launching this policy is the starting line, not the finish line. This policy, developed through extensive consultations, provides the pathway for Namibia's digital health transformation. It serves as the robust framework for the drafting of Namibia's Digital Health Bill. The envisaged Bill will establish the regulatory and legal certainty to protect patient privacy, ensure data security, and govern digital health providers, solidifying our commitment to a rights-based digital ecosystem."
World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative Richard Banda says the launch marks an important step in efforts toward attaining universal health coverage, strengthening governance and data protection.
"It comes at the right time, soon after the 2024 Summit of the Future, where Namibia was a co-lead facilitator on the UN Pact for the Future. Therefore, this policy transforms the PACT for the Future into practical action within the health sector. And it aligns with WHO's Global Strategy on Digital Health (2020 - 2025). Despite the promise that digital technology holds, it is not an end. We must use it wisely. Digital health should change the way health systems cater for communities. We must ensure that digital health contributes to reducing inequalities instead of widening them."
The Ministry also announced that Namibia has been nominated and selected to host the headquarters of the Africa Digital Health Network.