Justicia Shipena
Medicine shortages in public hospitals are keeping President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah awake at night.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the continued shortage of medicines remains one of the biggest burdens on her administration.
“If there is one of the things that gives me sleepless nights, in all sincerity, it is when I’m hearing no medicines in our hospitals,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said during her visit to the FabuPharm pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Otjiwarongo on Wednesday.
Her remarks come at a time when public hospitals and clinics across the country continue running low on essential medicines.
This week, the Ministry of Health and Social Services revealed that national pharmaceutical stock levels are sitting at about 60%, below the government’s minimum target of 80%.
Nandi-Ndaitwah’s comments also come days after Asoli Progressive Party president Josef Kauandenge criticised her over what he described as silence surrounding the medicine crisis.
Kauandenge said the president and the line ministry should explain the causes of the shortages and outline solutions.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the pressure is also taking a toll on senior health officials.
“The executive director [Penda Ithindi] is giving him grey hair. And the deputy minister (Suzan Ndjaleka), she has just started, but she really started hands-on,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Nandi-Ndaitwah said she left the FabuPharm facility encouraged by what she saw and praised the company for staying afloat through years of difficulties.
“So I was really impressed by what I have seen here and the plan that you are having,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the company’s journey shows that persistence can weather even the toughest storms.
FabuPharm first introduced its pharmaceutical vision in 1989 around the time Namibia gained independence.
She said the company’s ability to survive despite setbacks shows that determination remains key to success.
“And you are still persistent; besides all the problems that were mentioned here, persistence pays. And if you want to achieve something, you must really pursue your career and what you want to do,” she said.
The visit formed part of efforts to familiarise the president with FabuPharm’s operations.
The Otjiwarongo-based company manufactures more than 180 healthcare products, including paracetamol, antibiotics, vitamin supplements, medical creams, sunscreens and wellness products.
The visit also comes after health minister Esperance Luvindao announced this week that the ministry will begin issuing monthly reports on medicine deliveries and stock levels to improve transparency and stabilise supplies.
The ministry said the current stock situation reflects the total quantity supplied as a percentage of orders made by public health facilities countrywide.
FabuPharm has previously faced regulatory scrutiny. In January last year, the Windhoek Observer reported that the company had operated for one year and five months without a valid manufacturing licence.
The Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council at the time ordered the company to stop pharmaceutical production, saying it had violated the Medicines and Related Substances Control Act by manufacturing medicines without renewing its licence.
The company also faced criticism over its children’s paracetamol syrup after concerns were raised about product safety, leading to a temporary production halt.
Last year, the Ministry of Health and Social Services also recalled FabuPharm’s chlorhexidine 4% solution following complaints, adding to public concern over quality control.
FabuPharm has maintained that it operates under Good Manufacturing Practice standards.
In 2023, the company was also involved in a disputed medical tender process with the Central Procurement Board of Namibia.
