Nurses urged to go forth and be more than caregivers
This is more than a job – it’s a calling
More than 300 nursing students graduated from Alba Chipamba Centre during a ceremony held last Friday in Rundu, with the event marked by sobering reminders of Namibia's critical healthcare staffing crisis
Kavango East governor Hamunyera Hambyuka has urged nursing graduates to be more than caregivers, but leaders, educators and advocates for better health.
Hambyuka told a combined nursing graduation ceremony at the Alba Chipamba Training Centre in Rundu last week that they must save lives wherever needed.
About 300 nurses from the Alba Chipamba Training Centre's Rundu, Walvis Bay and Oshikango campuses graduated.
Hambyuka said the health ministry grapples with severe staff shortages hampering healthcare delivery nationwide.
“As a nation, we are faced with inadequate staffing at all levels, from emergency units to maternity wards and rural clinics,” he said.
“The ministry operates at only 60% capacity, as reported in March 2022, with just over 13,000 of the 21,000 approved positions currently filled.”
Hambyuka referenced the ministry’s 2022 Health Care Workforce Status Report, which laid bare the scale of the challenge.
Much-needed reinforcement
The issue has only deepened since then, with health minister Esperance Luvindao telling parliament that staffing had worsened to 50% capacity.
Luvindao said the situation is “very dangerous” and stressed that healthcare workers are stretched beyond sustainable limits.
The minister revealed that over 11,700 positions remain vacant, yet only 434 can be filled under the ministry’s budget allocation of N$150 million – a fraction of the N$4.6 billion required to address the shortfall.
Despite the bleak statistics, Hambyuka described the new graduates as a much-needed reinforcement to the struggling health system, particularly in advancing Namibia’s goals towards universal health coverage. “Nurses and midwives are central to resilient and sustainable healthcare systems,” he said. “They provide essential care, shape policy, and drive primary health services. Investing in them is no longer optional – it’s imperative.”
Hambyuka concluded by saying, “Go forth and be more than caregivers. Be leaders, educators and advocates for better health.”
More than a job
Kavango East Regional Council chairperson Damian Maghambayi urged the graduates to uphold the ethical code of nursing and draw inspiration from pioneers like Florence Nightingale.
“You can graduate with distinction, but if you don’t have a heart, you will never be a good nurse,” he said. “You are being entrusted with the care and hope of many. This is more than a job – it’s a calling,” Maghambayi said.
He acknowledged parents for their sacrifices, and noted that the country’s ongoing health infrastructure gaps – especially in remote regions – remain a barrier to practical deployment.
“You must be ready to serve in the most remote corners of Namibia. A nurse cannot say, ‘I only want to work in town.’ Your duty is to save lives wherever you are needed,” Maghambayi said.
According to Maghambayi, the current administration is committed to improving health infrastructure in regions like Kavango East, expecting future investments to create opportunities for newly qualified nurses.
Hambyuka told a combined nursing graduation ceremony at the Alba Chipamba Training Centre in Rundu last week that they must save lives wherever needed.
About 300 nurses from the Alba Chipamba Training Centre's Rundu, Walvis Bay and Oshikango campuses graduated.
Hambyuka said the health ministry grapples with severe staff shortages hampering healthcare delivery nationwide.
“As a nation, we are faced with inadequate staffing at all levels, from emergency units to maternity wards and rural clinics,” he said.
“The ministry operates at only 60% capacity, as reported in March 2022, with just over 13,000 of the 21,000 approved positions currently filled.”
Hambyuka referenced the ministry’s 2022 Health Care Workforce Status Report, which laid bare the scale of the challenge.
Much-needed reinforcement
The issue has only deepened since then, with health minister Esperance Luvindao telling parliament that staffing had worsened to 50% capacity.
Luvindao said the situation is “very dangerous” and stressed that healthcare workers are stretched beyond sustainable limits.
The minister revealed that over 11,700 positions remain vacant, yet only 434 can be filled under the ministry’s budget allocation of N$150 million – a fraction of the N$4.6 billion required to address the shortfall.
Despite the bleak statistics, Hambyuka described the new graduates as a much-needed reinforcement to the struggling health system, particularly in advancing Namibia’s goals towards universal health coverage. “Nurses and midwives are central to resilient and sustainable healthcare systems,” he said. “They provide essential care, shape policy, and drive primary health services. Investing in them is no longer optional – it’s imperative.”
Hambyuka concluded by saying, “Go forth and be more than caregivers. Be leaders, educators and advocates for better health.”
More than a job
Kavango East Regional Council chairperson Damian Maghambayi urged the graduates to uphold the ethical code of nursing and draw inspiration from pioneers like Florence Nightingale.
“You can graduate with distinction, but if you don’t have a heart, you will never be a good nurse,” he said. “You are being entrusted with the care and hope of many. This is more than a job – it’s a calling,” Maghambayi said.
He acknowledged parents for their sacrifices, and noted that the country’s ongoing health infrastructure gaps – especially in remote regions – remain a barrier to practical deployment.
“You must be ready to serve in the most remote corners of Namibia. A nurse cannot say, ‘I only want to work in town.’ Your duty is to save lives wherever you are needed,” Maghambayi said.
According to Maghambayi, the current administration is committed to improving health infrastructure in regions like Kavango East, expecting future investments to create opportunities for newly qualified nurses.
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