Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS) – Page 2

08 Jul

Health ministry gives oxygen supply warning

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS)

Andrew Kathindi Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) is warning people not to change their attitude to COVID-19 as the country’s virus plight could worsen in the coming months due to oxygen supply. On Monday the ministry confirmed the presence of the Delta variant in the country which is more transmissible and deadlier than other variants. “If we don’t change our behaviour, Namibia is just going to become one big hospital. Where are we going to get the human resources? We don’t buy them off the shelves. All the countries are fighting on their own. In Africa because of…

06 Jul

Delta presence won’t change approach – Ministry

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Delta variant, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS)

Andrew Kathindi The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) says it will not change its approach in pooling for resources despite confirming the presence of the Delta variant in Namibia. “Whether it’s the Delta variant, Beta variant or some other variant. They spread in the same manner. It’s a question of wearing your mask and sanitising your hands. We are being told that this variant is more transmissible. It just means that people need to comply with the regulations,” MoHSS Executive Director, Ben Nangombe, told Windhoek Observer. He further informs the ministry has set up a field hospital bringing…

23 Jun

Youth in the capital scramble to vaccination centres

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS)

Tujoromajo Kasuto Youth in Windhoek surge to vaccination centres amidst increasing COVID-19 cases reported within the last week in the country. The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) in March expressed concern’s at the low turnout of people being vaccinated for COVID-19, and that the number of elderly people getting vaccinated was more contrasted to the youth. Minister Kalumbi Shangula revealed that there has been an increase in people taking the vaccine within the last month. “At the beginning we noted that people would come at a particular time and currently we are seeing by 06:00 am the queue…

09 Jun

Health Ministry says no to ivermectin approval … as doctors submit petition

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS), South Africa, Zimbabwe

Andrew Kathindi The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS) says it has no intentions to approve ivermectin for COVID-19 treatment. A petition by over 30 doctors was sent to the MOHSS and Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council (NMRC), asking that the drug should receive an emergency approval for COVID-19 treatment in the country. Health Executive Director (ED), Ben Nangombe, and the council's registrar of medicine, Johannes Gaeseb, both confirmed receiving the petition. “The ministry issued a document, a public notice on the second of February about the views on ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19 in Namibia. A that point…

03 Jun

Johnson & Johnson vaccines could cost millions annually

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Johnson and Johnson, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS)

Andrew Kathindi The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS)’s decision to acquire the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine could cost the country N$34 million per year for an unspecified number of years after it emerged the vaccine has to be continuously taken annually. According to the MoHSS, Namibia is expected to receive 250,000 doses at a cost of US$2,500,000.00 (N$ 34,375,000.00) sometime in August. According to American media reports, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Johnson & Johnson, Alex Gorsky, has stated that people who are inoculated with Johnson & Johnson may have to received annual doses…

20 May

Ministry mum on COVID-19 death liability

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS)

Andrew Kathindi The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) has dodged questions on who would be liable if the COVID-19 vaccine administered is found to have caused the death of a 62-year-old un-identified man. This comes after Ministry of Health Executive Director, Ben Nangombe, was quoted in the media last month saying private companies will be liable for any harm arising from the vaccines. “That’s a legal question. And when you have an issue that deals with liability, the legal principles will be applied and a determination will be made through a legal process to indicate how that liability…

11 May

Namibia spends over N$1 billion on Covid-19

ObserverObserver MoneyBen Nangombe, Covid-19, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS)

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Namibia has officially spent over N$1 billion up to date in its fight against Covid-19, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) Executive Director, Ben Nangombe, revealed. According to information from MoHSS, N$747 million was spent last year on Covid-19, with N$458 million so far spent this year on vaccines. “We had a budget of N$747 million, that budget was executed for 2020. For now we have the resources provided in the budget of the Ministry of Health and Social Services but it’s not for Covid-19 in specific. It is for the response generally to health care. That…

04 May

No COVID-19 vaccines for learners

ObserverUncategorisedAstraZeneca and Covishield, Ben Nangombe, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS), Sanet Steenkamp, Sinopharm

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Learners will not be able to get the COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the country, as they are below the prescribed age limit. Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) Executive Director, Ben Nangombe, revealed that only persons above the age of 18 are in the criteria of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine jabs (Sinopharm, AstraZeneca and Covishield) . The revelation comes as Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture recently fingered boarding and high schools as the main spreaders of COVID-19 among learners in the country. Latest figures from the Ministry of Health shows that over the month of…

02 Apr

Health Ministry fails to suspend violent nurses

ObserverUncategorisedBen Nangombe, Health Executive Director, Junias Shilunga, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS), Namibian Nurses Union Secretary General, Oshakati Intermediate Hospital, three unidentified nurses

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri and Rose-Mary Haufiku The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) says its hands are tied when it comes to taking disciplinary action against the three unidentified nurses from the Oshakati Intermediate Hospital who were filmed physically and verbally assaulting a patient. The ministry has not suspended the three but instead assigned them new duties at the hospital while the matter is being investigated. Health Executive Director, Ben Nangombe, said, the Public Service Act dictates the circumstances under which a staff member in the public service may be suspended. "Suspension should first be conducted or effected when you…

26 Mar

Low turnout marks COVID vaccination

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Khomas, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS), Sinopharm

Andrew Kathindi The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) has expressed concern at the low turnout of people being vaccinated for COVID-19. Only 218 people have so far been vaccinated with the Sinopharm vaccine under the first phase of the of the ministry roll out plan which ends on the 16th of April. “There is still low uptake of the COVID-19 vaccines, we encourage the target population groups, especially health care workers to get vaccinated,” said Health minister, Kalumbi Shangula. He argued, “Studies continue to show that COVID-19 vaccines work very well at keeping you from getting COVID-19 and…