Health sector faces 'dangerous' 50% staffing shortfall

Health and social services minister Esperance Luvindao has disclosed that the ministry is currently operating at just 50% of its required staffing capacity - a crisis she described as “very dangerous” due to the immense pressure placed on already overstretched healthcare workers.Speaking during a parliamentary session on Wednesday, Luvindao responded to MPs’ questions following her budget motivation, where she stressed the urgent need to recruit more healthcare professionals.“We need more staff, more nurses, more doctors - on that, we are in full agreement,” Luvindao said. “But now, my team and I must go back to the drawing board and determine how we can realistically accommodate the personnel required. I want to reassure you that we are actively working on this, and your concerns have not fallen on deaf ears.”On Tuesday, the minister presented her budget motivation, revealing that the ministry requires more than N$4.6 billion to fill over 11,700 approved positions. However, only N$150 million has been allocated - enough to finance just 434 posts.Stark funding gap“The necessary groundwork has been completed,” she said, “but the current allocation falls far short of what&#039;s needed. The gap between approved positions and available funding is stark.”Addressing speculation that the ministry was withholding recruitment plans or using an undisclosed method to determine appointments, Luvindao was blunt: “It’s really just basic maths. There’s no secret formula. With the current budget, this is all we can do. It’s not about waving a magic wand to go from 11,000 to 400 jobs. It’s about calculating what’s possible within the constraints.”She emphasised that the ministry is actively exploring alternative funding strategies. “I’ve often joked that I’ve become a professional beggar. My role is to seek out partnerships and opportunities - especially public-private collaborations - to help fill the gaps where our budget falls short.”Luvindao acknowledged suggestions from parliamentarians like Honourable Job Amupanda, who urged creative solutions and partnerships to address the staffing crisis. “We need innovation and strategic alliances. That’s where we’re heading.”Turning to infrastructure challenges, the minister said that building hospitals across the country all at once is not financially feasible. “Just one fully equipped district hospital, like the one planned for Windhoek, will cost about a billion dollars. That includes facilities like CT scan machines. So, you can imagine the scale of investment required.”She concluded: “This is not an excuse - it’s the reality we face. But despite the financial constraints, we are committed to finding solutions.”

Health sector faces 'dangerous' 50% staffing shortfall

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-27

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Health sector faces 'dangerous' 50% staffing shortfall

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-27

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