Health minister pushes for National Rehabilitation Centre
'This is long overdue, we understand'
Dr Luvindao described tobacco and alcohol as two of the most pressing but under-discussed threats to public health in Namibia.
Namibia is taking a major step towards addressing substance abuse, with the Ministry of Health and Social Services now in final discussions to establish a National Rehabilitation Centre. This announcement was made by Health Minister Dr Esperance Luvindao during a parliamentary Engagement Workshop on Tobacco Control and Alcohol Control Policies held in Windhoek on Monday in Collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO)
“This is long overdue, we understand,” Dr Luvindao said, confirming that discussions with the Executive Director Penda Ithindi are nearing completion. She emphasised that the overwhelming burden of alcohol and tobacco use on the healthcare system—particularly in mental health wards—necessitates urgent action.
“A lot of the issues that we are faced with right now at the mental health units and the mental health wards have to do with substance-induced psychosis,” she said. “And a lot of the people that are plagued by these... this is the young people. Consistently the young people.”
Dr Luvindao described tobacco and alcohol as two of the most pressing but under-discussed threats to public health in Namibia. “It’s something that is not spoken about enough,” she stated, noting that the health sector continues to bear the brunt of substance-related conditions. “We’re here to protect the health of the people, and we will do whatever is needed in order to do that.”
She urged policymakers not to shy away from bold decisions, particularly regarding taxation. “We cannot be intimidated to say, ‘if we increase this tax too high, people are going to start striking.’ Well, then let them strike.”
The Minister also challenged the country’s reactive approach to public health, calling for stronger investment in prevention. “If we realise the importance of prevention, even the cost that we spend on healthcare drops drastically... because then we don’t have to deal with the aftermath of someone drinking themselves nearly to death.”
She noted that although Namibia has made strides through the Tobacco Product Control Act of 2010 and its regulations, gaps remain. Cessation support, for example, is not applied systematically, and enforcement of smoke-free zones is still weak in some areas. “There’s more to be done. I am not one to focus only on the good that has been done.”
Also addressing the workshop, WHO Representative Dr Richard Banda, in remarks read on his behalf by Health Promotion and Social Determinants Officer Celia Kuanatjike, stressed that tobacco and alcohol use are major drivers of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which account for 41% of deaths in Namibia. He noted that Namibia’s per capita alcohol consumption of 12 litres is significantly higher than the global average of 5 litres.
Dr Banda highlighted progress at global level through the MPOWER and SAFER strategies, but called for intensified action. “We must act decisively to protect health by closing the remaining policy gaps, strengthening enforcement, and investing in proven tools.”
The four-day workshop aims to equip policymakers with the tools and evidence needed to reform tax and legal frameworks for tobacco and alcohol control
“This is long overdue, we understand,” Dr Luvindao said, confirming that discussions with the Executive Director Penda Ithindi are nearing completion. She emphasised that the overwhelming burden of alcohol and tobacco use on the healthcare system—particularly in mental health wards—necessitates urgent action.
“A lot of the issues that we are faced with right now at the mental health units and the mental health wards have to do with substance-induced psychosis,” she said. “And a lot of the people that are plagued by these... this is the young people. Consistently the young people.”
Dr Luvindao described tobacco and alcohol as two of the most pressing but under-discussed threats to public health in Namibia. “It’s something that is not spoken about enough,” she stated, noting that the health sector continues to bear the brunt of substance-related conditions. “We’re here to protect the health of the people, and we will do whatever is needed in order to do that.”
She urged policymakers not to shy away from bold decisions, particularly regarding taxation. “We cannot be intimidated to say, ‘if we increase this tax too high, people are going to start striking.’ Well, then let them strike.”
The Minister also challenged the country’s reactive approach to public health, calling for stronger investment in prevention. “If we realise the importance of prevention, even the cost that we spend on healthcare drops drastically... because then we don’t have to deal with the aftermath of someone drinking themselves nearly to death.”
She noted that although Namibia has made strides through the Tobacco Product Control Act of 2010 and its regulations, gaps remain. Cessation support, for example, is not applied systematically, and enforcement of smoke-free zones is still weak in some areas. “There’s more to be done. I am not one to focus only on the good that has been done.”
Also addressing the workshop, WHO Representative Dr Richard Banda, in remarks read on his behalf by Health Promotion and Social Determinants Officer Celia Kuanatjike, stressed that tobacco and alcohol use are major drivers of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which account for 41% of deaths in Namibia. He noted that Namibia’s per capita alcohol consumption of 12 litres is significantly higher than the global average of 5 litres.
Dr Banda highlighted progress at global level through the MPOWER and SAFER strategies, but called for intensified action. “We must act decisively to protect health by closing the remaining policy gaps, strengthening enforcement, and investing in proven tools.”
The four-day workshop aims to equip policymakers with the tools and evidence needed to reform tax and legal frameworks for tobacco and alcohol control
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