WINDHOEK -02 March 2010-(New Era)-For the next five years, the health sector has set its target to become the leading public provider of quality health and social welfare services in Africa.

This is according to Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Richard Kamwi, who acknowledged that Namibia's contributions to the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are still "fragmented" and yielding "mixed results".

Kamwi said health systems need to be strengthened and social determinants must be tackled at inter-Governmental and inter-institutional levels.

The sector, which in a week-long process considers this year's strategic objectives, is also developing a new national health policy for the next 10 years with the support of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other international agencies.

Last year, three specialists were recruited for the cardiac unit at the Windhoek State Hospital, while Namibian doctors, nurses and radiologists have been sent to Groote Schuur Hospital in South Africa for training.

University of Namibia (Unam) has already enrolled its first intake of students at its medical school, following close collaboration with the health ministry.

The number of patients receiving anti-retroviral treatment has grown to 64Â 637, with an increase in the number of sites providing this treatment to 64 across the country.

And, said Kamwi, Namibia is recognised worldwide for its strides in the battle against HIV/Aids.

For its work, Namibia has been invited to the 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in San Francisco next week at which Kamwi will be a discussant on a panel with the PEPFAR Global Coordinator, Ambassador Groosby.

Last year, the Tobacco Bill was endorsed by the National Assembly, and is ready for National Council before the end of the first quarter in all likelihood.

Medical male circumcision is also being piloted at the Windhoek State Hospital and the Onandjokwe Hospital as an intervention measure against HIV infection.

While the sector is "doing very well", said Kamwi, there remain worrisome areas.

The outbreak of the influenza A (H1N1), cholera, measles and meningococcal meningitis and flooding in northern Namibia put a strain on health care delivery.

A continual concern for Namibia is the high maternal mortality and child healthcare, as well as HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria.

Kamwi said Namibia needs to ensure appropriate task shifting and to reduce the imbalance in the distribution of health workers in the rural-urban and public-private divides.

The ministry, he said, has not fully engaged the services of the youth, as proposed by the National Youth Council and Swapo Party Youth League, despite the fact that the sector is concerned with the critical shortage of health professionals in the public sector.

"[Particularly] nurses and those who are available are overwhelmed with non-professional tasks that can easily be performed by these youths," said Kamwi.

The SADC health ministers will be launching the SADC Healthy Lifestyle Day â€" on February 26 in Cape Town, South Africa â€" to encourage people to embrace a lifestyle without smoking, alcohol abuse, unprotected sex, unhealthy diets and a sedentary life.

Another initiative is the International Health Partnership and its related initiatives (or IHP+), which is a global partnership that puts the Accra and Paris principles of aid effectiveness into practice to improve health services and outcomes, particularly for the poor and vulnerable.

Namibia is not yet a member, but Kamwi said the country is moving towards applying the principles thereof.

Kamwi said the ministry will similarly embrace the Global Health Initiative spearheaded by US President Barak Obama that tackles a slew of endemic diseases.

Online at: http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=9485