Namibia: President Yet to Use Hospital, Opposition Rejects Vision April 2026

What the report says

Several Namibian opposition figures and other lawmakers have pushed back against a presidential directive requiring senior public servants and politicians to use state health facilities. The policy, which began on 1 April, is part of a wider health reform aimed at supporting the public system, which serves most Namibians. According to The Namibian, the first phase covers 294 senior officials and is limited to seven public hospitals, with a second phase expected in 2027.

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah issued the order in April to help strengthen public healthcare. The Presidency said she has not personally used a hospital since then because she is in good health, and added that medical privacy remains a personal matter. Supporters of the directive argue that public officials should experience the same system as ordinary citizens and help build confidence in it.

Critics in parliament say the policy is difficult to implement while hospitals still face shortages of equipment, medicines and staff. Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters vice president Kalimbo Iipumbu said he supports improving public health but does not believe the current system can reliably serve senior officials. Swanu MP Evilastus Kaaronda and former prime minister Nahas Angula also questioned the practicality of forcing people to use state facilities, especially where private care may be needed.

Other voices, including Works and Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi and Swapo Youth League secretary Ephraim Nekongo, backed the initiative and said it could expose officials to the realities of public healthcare. The debate highlights broader concerns about hospital capacity, funding, and whether the reform can improve services without placing extra strain on an already stretched system.