Cancer care comes closer for coastal patients

State cancer patients at the coast and nearby regions will no longer have to endure long and costly journeys to access life-saving care in Windhoek following the official opening of the Walvis Bay Oncology Chemotherapy Centre at Walvis Bay District Hospital.

The newly inaugurated, multimillion-dollar facility marks a major step in expanding access to cancer treatment for state patients in Namibia, with the initiative largely driven by Langer Heinrich Mine and the Cancer Association of Namibia, with the aim of bringing specialised healthcare services closer to local communities.

The mine has donated at least six ambulances and partnered with the Cancer Association of Namibia to support the development of cancer treatment facilities in Walvis Bay and Swakopmund.

On Friday, the Cancer Association of Namibia, supported by Langer Heinrich Uranium and project partners, officially handed over the health facility to the health ministry.

Finance manager of Langer Heinrich Uranium, Bianca McKenzie, on Friday said: “We are privileged to play a role in making cancer care more accessible to our communities, as cancer continues to touch the lives of many families, employees and the broader community."

Health minister Dr Esperance Luvindao said Namibia has the capacity to provide quality healthcare without patients needing to seek treatment abroad.

She noted that many cancer patients struggle not because treatment is unavailable, but because of the financial and physical toll of travelling long distances. She emphasised that decentralisation of health services remains a key priority, highlighting that many patients still travel far for essential diagnostic services, such as CT scans.

“In 2026, there’s absolutely no reason why somebody should be travelling from a distant region for services. Healthcare services must be good enough for everybody,” she noted.

The burden of travel often discourages patients from continuing treatment, with financial strain and physical exhaustion contributing to treatment abandonment rather than lack of medication, she added.

The Walvis Bay Oncology Centre is designed as a step-down chemotherapy facility, allowing patients to receive specialised cancer treatment closer to home. The centre is expected to ease pressure on referral hospitals while improving patient outcomes.

Erongo governor Natalia /Goagoses described the new centre as a transformative development for the region.

“The establishment of this oncology centre is more than a health infrastructure development – it is a restoration of dignity and a reaffirmation that quality healthcare should not be determined by geography,” she said.

/Goagoses added that the facility strengthens regional healthcare capacity while reinforcing Walvis Bay’s role as a national hub for service delivery.

Check-ups and medical misinformation

Luvindao used the platform to stress the importance of early detection, encouraging men and women to undergo regular medical check-ups.

“Men must go for digital rectal examinations; it is not a taboo, it is responsibility and accountability. Women must do self-breast examinations and go for their pap smears,” she urged.

She also cautioned against health misinformation, noting that misconceptions often spread faster than medical facts, particularly in rural communities with limited access to accurate information.