More than 170 Namibian medical students graduated from the University of Medical Sciences of Havana in Cuba, the executive director of health, Ben Nangombe, said.
The group graduated on 31 July, as part of the academic services cooperation agreement between the governments of Namibia and Cuba.
“These people graduated in one go. They will be coming back, put through the internship programme and they will be deployed to health facilities across the country,” Nangombe said.
According to a Namibia Cuba Facebook page, the ambassador of Namibia to Cuba, Samuel /Gôagoseb, Joyce Shatilwe, who was representing the Ministry of Health and Social Services, embassy staff and some students’ parents from Namibia witnessed the graduation ceremony.
Nangombe said this is another achievement meant to improve the country’s public health sector.
‘NAMIBIA HEALTH SYSTEM WORKS WELL’
Meanwhile, Nangombe said Namibia has a healthcare system that works, “85% or more of Namibians depend on our public healthcare system. The system continues to thrive and provides quality healthcare services to the people”.
He added that the ministry will consistently address the challenges it faces, adding that stakeholders continue to assist the ministry to keep it on its toes.
“We are continually recruiting nurses and other healthcare professionals to strengthen our healthcare system,” Nangombe said.
According to him, the ministry has made good progress in terms of buying and acquiring the necessary medical equipment.
“About a month ago, we launched the picture archiving system for the management of X-rays services whereby if a patient took an X-ray in Rundu, Oshakati or anywhere, these X-ray images can be shared with specialists in Windhoek,” Nangombe added.
He said at Rundu hospital, the ministry opened a maternity ward and a hall, furnished with the necessary equipment to improve service delivery in that area.
“In Katutura Intermediate Hospital, we have revamped the pharmacy and it is one of the modern pharmacies in the capital,” Nangombe said.
The ministry has bought equipment such as a mammogram machine for the Katutura hospital to be used to screen women for cancer.
“We are also in the process of completing the reconstruction of a medical unit at Swakopmund to expand and bring services closer to the people,” he said.
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