Health minister Esperance Luvindao has told parliamentarians who do not want to use public hospitals that they are not going to be forced to do so.

She was responding to questions on Wednesday regarding concerns over the infringement of human rights, following a directive that all public servants must utilise public health facilities under their medical aid scheme as of 1 April.

"We cannot compel anybody to use the facility, and, therefore, there is an opting-out strategy. Any senior member such as members of parliament, should you feel not to, you are not compelled to. But should you wish not to use the medical aid, feel free to opt out and use the N$240 and go to any private medical firm, " she said.

She said this is a presidential directive that was issued in 2025.

According to her, data shows that no other African country currently mandates that senior government officials, including the president, must use the same state facilities they oversee if they wish to utilise government medical aid.

Luvindao said on Tuesday that the reason for the move was to inject funds into state health facilities to develop infrastructure.

She noted that while funds have been used to bolster private facilities for years, public health facilities have suffered financially.