Justicia Shipena
Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) member of parliament Lilani Brinkman says the Mental Health Bill ignores the rights and dignity of mental health workers and home-based caregivers.
She said the bill focuses on protecting patients but fails to consider the health workers and family members who look after people with mental illness.
Brinkman said the bill does not include measures to improve the training, working conditions, or emotional support of caregivers, which she described as a serious weakness in the proposed law.
Last month, health minister Esperance Luvindao tabled the Mental Health Bill in Parliament.
If passed, the Mental Health Bill will repeal the Mental Health Act of 1973.
The bill introduces penalties of up to N$100 000 or two years in jail for health workers who fail to report suspected abuse of mentally ill patients.
The bill regulates mental health care in Namibia, focusing on dignity, autonomy, and human rights.
It sets out procedures for patient admission and discharge, establishes review boards to oversee facilities and outlines rules for managing patients’ property.
It bans torture, forced labour, cruel treatment, and experimentation without consent. Facilities must ensure safe and sanitary conditions and protect patients from all forms of abuse.
Violators face fines of up to N$300 000 or four years in prison.
“The bill must recognise that mental health professionals and caregivers are the backbone of this system. Their well-being directly affects the quality of care provided to patients,” Brinkman said on Thursday.
She said caregivers, especially those working in home-based settings, often operate under poor conditions with little formal training or legal protection.
Brinkman warned that the lack of such provisions could weaken the bill’s goal of improving mental health outcomes.
She called for structured training and continuous professional development for practitioners.
“We cannot expect quality mental healthcare from professionals who are overworked, under-supported, and unprotected,” she said.
Brinkman said the law should protect both patients and the people who care for them, noting that caregivers often face burnout and compassion fatigue.
She also urged Parliament to consider support for families caring for mentally ill relatives.
“They need counselling, resources, and education to provide effective care without compromising their own mental health.”
Meanwhile, Swapo member of parliament Clemencia Coetzee urged parliament to prioritise passing the bill, calling it vital to protecting the rights of those living with mental illnesses.
Coetzee called for budget allocations to improve psychiatric facilities, recruit skilled workers and promote mental health awareness. She said mental health must be treated as part of public health and not as an afterthought.
Another Swapo member of parliament Modestus Atshipara also supported the bill, saying it will modernise the country’s mental health framework.
He said the legislation promotes community-based services and calls for more training and employment of mental health professionals.
Atshipara urged public education to end stigma and called for collaboration with civil society and community groups.
The bill also bans forced sterilisation, discrimination, and exploitation. Review boards will monitor facilities, handle complaints, and conduct unannounced inspections.
It allows appeals and judicial reviews to prevent long-term involuntary care and directs the state to integrate mental health screening into community and primary health systems. Services will be decentralised in district hospitals.
The law also sets standards for offenders with mental conditions, requiring treatment and transfer to appropriate facilities.
The health minister will have the power to designate mental health institutions, while court-appointed administrators will manage the property of those unable to do so themselves.
