WINDHOEK, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Namibia is facing growing pressure to finance its own health system as donor funding for major disease programs declines, Minister of Health and Social Services Esperance Luvindao said Monday.
Speaking at a conference in Windhoek, she warned that external support for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria has fallen sharply since the country attained middle-income status, placing added strain on public finances at a time when health spending needs are increasing.
"When Namibia transitioned to middle-income status, the donor funding that once supported major health programs has shrunk significantly," Luvindao said.
She said the funding squeeze is occurring as Namibia's health system confronts multiple, overlapping shocks, including climate change and the ongoing risk of future pandemics, noting that the country's health system, while significantly strengthened since independence, was designed for a more predictable environment and is now under strain.
Namibia has made substantial progress in expanding primary healthcare services and improving health outcomes, including sharply reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
However, Luvindao said the operating context for health systems has fundamentally changed. "We are no longer just fighting diseases; we are fighting the context in which diseases thrive," she said.
Luvindao stressed that Namibia must reduce its reliance on external assistance and strengthen domestic funding mechanisms to protect essential health services.
Developing innovative and sustainable domestic health financing is critical to achieving universal health coverage and safeguarding long-term development, she added. ■