State hospital wards revamped for govt leaders

The first phase of the much-talked-about Vision April 2026 initiative has established designated wards with specialised facilities for use by, among others, 294 selected high-ranking state officials.

Vision April 2026, which launched on 1 April, is a presidential directive requiring senior government officials to use public health facilities as part of a phased overhaul of the public healthcare system.

The programme seeks to improve access to quality healthcare, strengthen infrastructure and enhance accountability.

It also aims to integrate Public Service Employees Medical Aid Scheme (PSEMAS) beneficiaries more effectively into the public system, to dismantle the long-standing two-tier healthcare structure.

The rollout will be strictly limited to the identified officials, with government confirming dependants are excluded from Phase 1.

Health spokesperson Walters Kamaya confirmed to Namibian Sun yesterday that designated wards and facilities have been established at each selected hospital to cater to the officials and PSEMAS patients.

In her State of the Nation Address on Wednesday, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said government has already awarded N$164 million to renowned medical equipment manufacturers, with delivery expected over the next three months.

The health ministry has also undertaken a broader procurement of essential medical equipment valued at N$239 million and recruited 2 307 health workers since December 2025.

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A frequently asked questions (FAQ) pamphlet seen by Namibian Sun indicates that Phase 1 targets senior government officials and public officeholders.

Those included are the president, vice president, prime minister, deputy prime minister and Cabinet ministers. The phase also includes the attorney general, national planning commission director-general, deputy ministers, presidential advisers, press secretary, chief of protocol, members of parliament, regional governors and Cabinet secretary.

Executive directors, the secretary to the National Assembly and National Council, the chief electoral and referenda officer, the commissioner-general of correctional service, the inspector-general of police, the chief of defence force, and the national assembly speaker.

The officials will receive care at seven designated facilities: Windhoek Central Hospital, Katutura Intermediate Hospital, Oshakati Intermediate Hospital, Rundu Intermediate Hospital, the Swakopmund/Walvis Bay complex, Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital, and Keetmanshoop District Hospital.

At these facilities, services will span emergency and ambulance care, intensive care units, theatre services, medical imaging, and specialised care such as oncology, cardiology, orthopaedics, maternity services, paediatrics, rehabilitation and dialysis, supported by pharmacy services, among others.

The identified hospitals are set for major upgrades covering infrastructure, modern medical equipment, additional health workers, improved medicine supply and upgraded IT and billing systems.

The FAQs pamphlet notes that private doctors will be allowed to attend to their patients admitted to any designated hospital.

"As private specialists currently have admission privileges at various private hospitals where they are not permanently employed, they will be granted similar privileges to admit and attend to their patients at state health facilities."

Private providers

The pamphlet also states that if any of the selected top officials find themselves in an area without designated health facilities, they may use private health facilities.

Where a specific level of care or specialist service is not yet available at a public health facility within a region, existing referral mechanisms, including the utilisation of private providers, remain in place.

PSEMAS clients will continue to be billed, with revenue generated from retained claims reinvested to strengthen the public healthcare system.

Medicines will be dispensed through a mixed model for inpatients and outpatients, including prescriptions filled through community pharmacies, with medicines delivered directly to facilities for admitted patients.

Government has also addressed concerns about preferential treatment, saying standard operating procedures are in place to ensure efficient patient flow across the seven facilities. Authorities emphasised that upgrades, including CT scans and MRI machines, and improved services will benefit all patients, not only PSEMAS beneficiaries.

Phase 2 is expected to start in 2027, with an exact date to be confirmed.

The next phase will build on Phase 1 and expand to additional facilities, focusing on district-level service delivery, particularly emergency, surgical, diagnostic and maternal health services, while strengthening referral capacity and easing pressure on higher-level hospitals.