13 May 2011
In accordance with Namibia’s long term development plan, Vision 2030, the health sector has to ensure that ordinary people have access to health facilities and adequate health delivery, former president, Dr Sam Nujoma said this week.
Speaking at the 13th graduation ceremony of the training network of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Dr Nujoma said competent health workers and promoters should be available across the country, as conditioned by Vision 2030.
“Capacity building and the production of competent human resources for health is also important because we experience high losses of health workers in Africa, including the migration of staff from the public to the private sector. Africa is also suffering from continuous brain drain with its best human resources outside the continent in search of greener pastures. As a result of this, African governments have to continuously train and produce health workers to be able to keep our health services going and to further improve the,” he said.
The former president therefore thanked the University of Namibia (Unam) and Polytechnic of Namibia for setting the pace of excellence in training health care professionals, such as medical doctors, regional nurses, pharmacists, environmental health practitioners and medical laboratory technologists.
“It is encouraging to see how these courses complement the Ministry of Health’s endeavours to provide in-service, continuous and pre-services training to further strengthen capacity building efforts for the wider health sector,” he said.
Of the 246 graduands, 220 were enrolled nurses or midwives, 15 pharmacists assistants, 10 environmental health assistants and one radiography assistant.
“The professions you chose to join are very challenging but I have confidence in you that these challenges will not dim your spirit of commitment and determination. It is not by chance that you decided to join these professions. You have a mission to accomplish. This country needs you, Africa needs you. I therefore encourage you to study further and come back as tutors to train those coming after you,” he encouraged the graduands.
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