Staff Writer
Namibia Health Plan (NHP), the largest medical aid fund in Namibia with about 80 000 members, says it will place a stronger focus on preventative healthcare to protect member health before illnesses become severe and costly to treat.
The fund said it is seeing more cancer cases, including among younger people, as well as rising mental health conditions linked to stress.
This approach forms part of NHP’s strategy to move beyond the traditional role of paying medical claims and to support members through early detection, wellness education, health risk management and timely intervention.
NHP’s preventative healthcare programme includes initiatives aimed at identifying health risks early and encouraging members to act before conditions worsen. These include health risk assessments, targeted screenings, chronic disease support programmes, mental health initiatives, workplace wellness interventions and awareness campaigns that promote early detection and healthy lifestyle choices.
NHP principal officer Dantago Garosas said prevention is central to the fund’s long-term strategy.
“As Namibia’s largest medical aid fund, we understand that our role goes beyond funding treatment. We must also help lead the conversation on prevention, early detection and healthier living. Our responsibility is not only to process claims when members are unwell but also to support them in staying well for longer. This is better for our members, better for employers, and essential for the long-term sustainability of the fund.”
NHP said prevention has become more urgent as Namibia faces a growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cancers and mental health conditions.
The fund said early intervention can reduce complications, improve quality of life and lower the financial pressure that often follows delayed diagnoses and advanced treatment.
According to the 2025 Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) report, the number of active medical aid funds stood at seven as at December 2024.
The medical aid fund industry reported a net surplus during the period and remained well capitalised. Claims experience improved in 2024 and the industry’s reserves exceeded the minimum prudential requirement of 25%, meaning the sector was financially sound.
Non-healthcare expenditure increased by 3.6% to N$560.9 million on an annual basis.
Administration costs remained the largest component of non-healthcare expenditure. These costs increased by 3.7% to N$390.8 million in 2024 due to inflation adjustments on fees charged per member and higher activity from members.
