Namibia’s capacity to treat substance abuse remains limited, as the country currently has only one state rehabilitation facility serving all 14 regions.

A clinical psychologist at the Etegameno Rehabilitation and Resource Centre, Gisela Kalipi, says the facility is unable to meet the growing national demand for treatment.

“One of the biggest challenges we face is that we only have one state facility providing services to the entire country, and we are most likely not meeting the demand,” she said.

Kalipi highlighted additional challenges, including a shortage of specialised services and trained professionals in the field.

“Seeing that substance use is really a specialised field and we do not have enough professionals that are trained within the field.”

She explained that substance abuse is closely linked to mental health, with many using substances to cope with trauma, which can trigger conditions like depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder.

Kalipi said stigma and lack of awareness about rehabilitation services also prevent many people from seeking help.

She urged the public and stakeholders to work together to address substance abuse, saying addiction does not discriminate and requires a collective national response to reduce its impact.