India to strengthen cancer care in Namibia

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that India is ready to supply Namibia with a state-of-the-art radiotherapy machine to strengthen advanced cancer care. The machine, developed in India, is already in use in 15 countries and has treated nearly half a million patients.During his address in Namibia’s National Assembly on Wednesday, Modi also invited Namibia to join India’s Jan Aushadhi programme to improve access to affordable, high-quality medicines.“Under this programme, the cost of medicines in India has been reduced by 50–80%. It helps more than 1 million Indians daily and has saved patients nearly US$4.5 billion in healthcare costs so far,” Modi said.Namibia is also set to become the first country where the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Bank of Namibia have signed a licensing agreement to implement the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for real-time digital payments.“Soon, people will be able to send money faster than one can say thank you. A Himba grandmother in Kunene or a shopkeeper in Katutura will be able to go digital with just a tap, faster than a springbok,” Modi added.He emphasised India’s commitment to the historic relationship with Namibia, saying both countries are focused on realising the potential of a shared future. “We see great value in working together on Namibia’s Vision 2030 and Harambee Prosperity Plan. At the heart of our partnership are our people,” he said.Deepening TiesDuring Modi’s state visit, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah highlighted efforts to expand Namibia–India cooperation across ICT, human resources development, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and defence.“Our excellent relations continue to deepen through the expansion of cooperation frameworks such as the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR),” she said.She also noted progress in structured defence and public administration cooperation, particularly through the memorandum of understanding between the Namibian Institute of Public Administration and Management (NIPAM) and India’s Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration.Focus on Health and TradeNandi-Ndaitwah praised the successful translocation of cheetahs from Namibia to India as “a global symbol of innovative South-South cooperation and sustainable partnership.”She welcomed India’s ‘Pharmacy of the World’ proposal to establish a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Namibia, calling it vital for enhancing regional health security and domestic production.“There is immense potential to scale up cooperation in green hydrogen and clean energy, mining, oil and gas, infrastructure development, agriculture and food security, and tourism development,” she added.

India to strengthen cancer care in Namibia

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Namibian Sun 2026-01-16

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India to strengthen cancer care in Namibia

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Namibian Sun 2026-01-16

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