Erasmus Shalihaxwe
Sirka Bonifacius, a first-time mother, was shocked when the nurses at Windhoek Central Hospital told her that the hepatitis B vaccine for her newborn was unavailable.
She had delivered her baby two weeks ago and was told she would have to go to Rhino Park Private Hospital to get the vaccine.
“I was only told after three days, but the baby was supposed to get the vaccine within 24 hours after birth. The nurse who told me to get it from Rhino Park said it was only N$30, but when I got there, I was told it was N$155, and they couldn’t give it to me alone. They would have to wait for other people to book for their babies,” she said.
A nurse at the Khomasdal clinic, who asked to remain anonymous, said the shortage of hepatitis B vaccines has been an ongoing issue across the country for over a year and a half.
“This problem has been persistent, and I understand it’s even worse in small towns. It feels bad when you refer someone to a private hospital, and they tell you they don’t even have taxi money to go there,” the nurse said.
Ben Nangombe, the executive director of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, acknowledged the shortage but pointed out that supplier performance often disrupts the procurement process.
“The procurement process is often derailed by late delivery or abrupt cancellation of orders. The non-availability of certain items at a particular facility may also be due to communication failures between health facilities that prevent them from sharing stock with each other,” he said.
Nangombe confirmed that the hepatitis B vaccine stock at the Central Medical Store (CMS) ran out two weeks ago.
He explained that stockouts, though temporary, happen because the ministry does not currently have long-term contracts for all vaccines.
“Through Emergency Procurement, the Ministry has been sourcing products from different local suppliers. The situation with the hepatitis B vaccine was worsened when the local supplier cancelled the order at the last minute due to a price hike by the manufacturer,” he explained.
The Ministry has taken steps to address the issue by working with international organisations through a pooled procurement mechanism to ensure a more reliable vaccine supply.
“The process is already bearing fruit. A total of 11,600 doses of adult hepatitis B vaccines are expected from a local supplier within one week. A new supplier has also been identified for the BCG vaccine, with 11,600 doses expected soon,” he said.
Dr Isack Shinme, a medical doctor, said the importance of the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns.
“The vaccine should be administered as soon as possible after birth, ideally within 24 hours, to prevent chronic liver disease and other complications. Missing the hepatitis B birth dose vaccine puts infants at risk for incomplete vaccination later in childhood and increases the likelihood of contracting chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, potentially leading to severe long-term health complications like liver failure, cirrhosis, and liver cancer,” she said.
