Hertta-Maria Amutenja
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has acknowledged the ongoing impact of malnutrition on women and children in Namibia.
Executive director of the health ministry, Ben Nangombe said on Tuesday that the issue extends beyond the health sector.
“The Ministry of Health is not entirely responsible for the provision of food to people. We are responsible for addressing the clinical aspects and the impact of lack of access to nutritious food,” Nangombe said.
The ministry, with support from UNICEF and funding from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), is implementing interventions to prevent and manage moderate and severe acute malnutrition in the Omaheke, Kavango East, and Kavango West regions.
According to Nangombe, malnutrition stems from a lack of access to adequate nutritious food and is not solely the responsibility of the health sector.
He added that the ministry provides ready-to-use therapeutic food and medical interventions for individuals suffering from malnutrition.
“We work with other cooperation partners, including WHO and UNICEF, to educate the public on the use of locally available foods for nutrition. Community health workers provide education to expectant mothers to ensure they eat appropriate food,” Nangombe said.
He said the ministry has also introduced community gardens at health facilities, such as in Opuwo, to train expectant mothers on growing food at the household level.
The Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare also play a role through social safety nets and drought relief assistance.
“The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform ensures access to water through boreholes so that communities can grow crops. The World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organisation have supported community gardens,” Nangombe said.
The ministry of health maintains that addressing malnutrition requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, involving multiple sectors to ensure vulnerable populations receive adequate support.
Last year, the minister of health, Dr Kalumbi Shangula said 1 101 Namibians had died from malnutrition over four years.
He attributed some cases to child neglect, where food may be available but not reach the child.
In the same year, the Office of the Prime Minister also announced that 1.4 million people in Namibia would face food insecurity due to drought.
The government has formulated a N$1.3 billion drought intervention programme, but only N$829 million has been secured, leaving a funding gap of N$482 million.
In August 2024, 27 community health workers in Opuwo underwent “Nutrition-for-Health” training to educate communities on essential nutrition practices. The programme aims to reduce preventable deaths and combat malnutrition.
Meanwhile, Ohangwena regional governor Sebastian Ndeitunga said 94 residents of the region have died from extreme hunger-related diseases since 2022.
