Adolf Kaure
Deputy health minister, Suzan Ndjaleka says that innovative mechanisms need to be put in place to empower healthcare workers with financial management knowledge.
She made the remarks when she spoke at the recent Namibia Health Exhibition held in Windhoek.
“Healthcare workers are human beings with families, aspirations, and financial burdens. Empowering them with the knowledge of financial management, debt relief, and even entrepreneurship is a crucial part of treating our workforce with the holistic dignity they deserve,” she said.
The exhibition was held with the aim of advancing equity, innovation, and universal access to healthcare in Namibia.
Since its inception in 2023, the Namibia Health Exhibition has been organised by the Pharmacists Care Association of Namibia, the platform has evolved into a premier multidisciplinary arena for education, innovation and collaboration.
Burnout of healthcare workers
According to Ndjaleka, the mounting workloads, intense pressure and alarming rates of burnout among healthcare workers need to be addressed, as it takes a toll on their mental health.
“It is no longer enough to simply demand resilience. We must actively build institutions that safeguard the mental and emotional wellbeing of our caregivers. Supporting our workforce must be elevated among the top priorities,” she said. “We will only build a sustainable, future-ready health system through strategic recruitment, equitable deployment, robust professional development, and genuinely supportive working environments.”
Supply chain of medicine, misinformation and counterfeit medicine
Ndjaleka also called on supply chains of medicine to be safe, effective, affordable, and always accessible.
“As we transform our systems, we must also secure our supply chains to ensure that safe, effective, and affordable medicines are always within reach. The landscape of modern medicine is shifting at lightning speed.
Namibia is currently witnessing an unprecedented surge in public demand for weight-management and metabolic treatments, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, as well as a rising fascination with peptides and other emerging therapies.
Despite the breakthroughs holding immense promise, they demand rigorous responsibility. The deputy minister said there needs to be enforcement of ethical prescribing, meticulous patient monitoring, and strict follow-up care.
Furthermore, she also stated that the public needs to be shielded from counterfeit, substandard, and illegally marketed products.
The deputy minister further called for evidence-based education, especially regarding self-medication to ensure uncompromised patient safety.
“In an era where social media dictates trends, the spread of misinformation and the rise of unregulated self-medication are pressing threats.
Our regulatory bodies must remain agile, and our practitioners must lead with evidence-based education to ensure uncompromised patient safety.”
The 2026 Namibia Health Exhibition 2026 also featured free health screenings, exhibitions, CPD talks, and networking opportunities for healthcare professionals, organisations innovators, students, community members, and stakeholders.
-akaure@nepc.com.na
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