THE government is considering rolling out online medical consultations and compulsory community service for healthcare professionals, but not everyone is open to the idea.
The initiative is part of the Ministry of Health and Social Services' efforts to address Namibia's persistent healthcare delivery challenges.
Health minister Esperance Luvindao says the proposals aim to ease pressure on overburdened health facilities, particularly in urban areas, while expanding access to care in rural and underserved regions.
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"Other interventions such as online consultations and community service requirements are among the complementary approaches currently under discussion," Luvindao said during the onboarding of 11 private-sector doctors volunteering at Katutura Health Centre this week.
"These efforts are part of our plan to progressively improve staffing and infrastructure across all regions," she said.
MIXED REACTIONS
However, the proposed initiatives have triggered mixed reactions among healthcare professionals, with some raising concerns about feasibility, patient safety, and the human aspect of healthcare.
Rescue service provider Sean Naude says digital medicine could compromise patient well-being.
"One of the biggest aspects of healthcare is psychological.
People need face-to-face interaction with doctors. A physical consultation allows doctors to observe a patient's emotional state and provide reassurance - something a screen or phone call cannot replicate," he says.
Naude says online diagnoses risk becoming impersonal and overly reliant on self-reported symptoms.
"We may as well just use Google and diagnose ourselves," he says.
"This digital shift could work for minor issues, but it cannot replace real, human medical care," he says.
Meanwhile, the Health Professions Council of Namibia (HPCNA) has taken a more open approach.
"As long as the safety, confidentiality and privacy of patients are secured, we shall have no objection," HPCNA chief executive Cornelius Weyulu said yesterday.
He noted, however, that the council has not been briefed on implementation details yet.
Namibia Nurses Union secretary general Junias Shilunga stresses the importance of grounding the initiative in Namibia's healthcare realities.
"The idea is good in theory, but we must ask whether we have the network coverage, infrastructure, and personnel to make it work. Otherwise, it will just sit on paper," he says.
Shilunga points to rural regions without stable internet or phone connectivity and warns against introducing a model that mirrors systems in developed countries without adapting them to Namibia's context.
"If this is meant to relieve health workers in Windhoek, it must also be rolled out in the regions where people are suffering the most. We don't want a system that works only in the capital," he says.
Shilunga questions whether the government is prepared to sustain such an initiative over the long term.
"Feasibility studies must be done. Otherwise, we'll face the same problems we encountered during Covid-19, when call centres were established but couldn't operate efficiently due to a lack of resources," he says.
The ministry's proposals form part of a wider plan to decongest overcrowded facilities like Katutura Health Centre, which continues to accommodate between 700 and 1 000 patients per day.
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Other ongoing efforts include the extension of operating hours at high-volume facilities such as Okuryangava and Otjomuise, the introduction of 24-hour services at Maxuilili Clinic by October, and the future construction of Windhoek District Hospital.
As consultations continue, the ministry says it is committed to engaging with professionals and the public to refine its approach.
"We welcome feedback.
Our ultimate goal is to build a healthcare system that works for every Namibian - whether they live in the city or in a remote village," Luvindao said last week.
The minister won the Commonwealth Points of Light award in 2022 for offering online consultations to over 44 000 patients across the country and internationally.
This came after she reportedly discovered patients were travelling up to 50km to access medical care.
