Namibia says more needs to be done to address disparities in healthcare

WINDHOEK, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services Executive Director Ben Nangombe on Wednesday said while there has been progress over the last years in improving health outcomes in the country, more needs to be done, including addressing the disparities seen across different segments of the population.

Speaking at the opening of the high-level stakeholder consultation meeting on Universal Health Coverage (UHC), Nangombe reiterated Namibia's commitment to ensuring that everyone, particularly the most vulnerable people in society, has access to health care services that are integrated, affordable, accessible, equitable, of high quality and responsive to the needs of the population.

"UHC, as it is widely stated, is about ensuring that all people can access the health care they need, without suffering financial hardship or financial catastrophe. This is the cardinal key to improving the well-being of a country's population. We see UHC as a critical element in supporting the attainment of our country's national Development Agenda because a healthy nation is a prosperous nation," he said.

Nangombe also said the meeting affords the country opportunities to reflect on the progress Namibia has made, and what could be done to accelerate the realization of UHC.

"Achieving UHC will represent a seismic shift from where we currently are to making Namibia a fairer society. The health status of the population is influenced by many factors outside the health sector such as the level of poverty, food security, unemployment, level of education, and working conditions of individuals. We value inclusive collaborative processes involving all sectors, as this will help us establish a shared approach and vision to work together to achieve the UHC goals," he said.