Africa-Press – Namibia. THE outgoing World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Namibia, Dr. Charles Sagoe-Moses, said that Namibia has achieved many significant milestones in the health sector, including the elimination of polio and hepatitis E. However, he emphasized that there is still much work to be done to strengthen the country’s health systems.
Sagoe-Moses made these remarks following a courtesy meeting with President Hage Geingob that primarily focused on how Namibia overcame various serious health challenges.
Among the milestones highlighted by Sagoe-Moses is the reduction in maternal mortality cases in the country. He revealed that Namibia’s maternal mortality rate has been halved over a period of two decades. Additionally, he mentioned that the country has remained polio-free and successfully eliminated the Hepatitis E Virus that broke out in 2017.
“Remaining polio-free is important, but ensuring that we continue to do so—especially with the surrounding countries experiencing polio—is significant. It demonstrates the government’s commitment to investing in health to maintain our polio-free status. In 2017, we had a Hepatitis E Virus outbreak. It took us about four years to combat it due to water and sanitation issues, but we managed to declare it over last year,” said the outgoing WHO Representative.
Despite these successes, Sagoe-Moses emphasized the need for improvement. He highlighted accessibility to healthcare as a key area requiring attention, emphasizing WHO’s vision to ensure that the best available healthcare is accessible to all individuals, regardless of race, gender, or any other form of discrimination.
“We need to continue prioritizing primary healthcare to support better health outreach, where every Namibian, regardless of their location, can receive the healthcare they need without financial burdens,” he said.
Furthermore, Sagoe-Moses emphasized the importance of investing in skilled health workers, particularly community healthcare workers at the grassroots level. He also underscored the need to strengthen areas such as communicable diseases, epidemic prevention, preparedness, and response. Although the experience with Covid-19 has enhanced the country’s preparedness, he stressed the importance of ongoing efforts to strengthen this area.
“It’s an area that requires continuous improvement. We should not stop there; we need to consistently enhance that area,” Sagoe-Moses concluded.
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