Namibia receives pharmacists from Ethiopia
WINDHOEK – To reduce
shortages of health personnel, the Ministry of Health and Social
Services has employed 21 pharmacists from Ethiopia as part of a
memorandum of understanding (MoU) that was signed last year.
The pharmacists arrived two weeks ago from Ethiopia and signed a two year renewable contract.
Apart
from the Katutura State Hospital, Windhoek Central Hospital, the
Namibian Medicines Regulatory Council and the Central Medical Stores,
the pharmacists were deployed to Oshakati, Rundu, Tsandi and Opuwo
amongst others. The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Richard
Kamwi yesterday stressed the shortage of health personnel including
pharmacists, has a negative impact on the country’s health care
delivery.
He said the country has 55 pharmacists
working in the public health sector, of which only ten are Namibians,
stated the health minister.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends the pharmacist/population ratio should be 1 pharmacist for 2000 people.
“With
our population of 2 million Namibians, we need about 1000 pharmacists
both in the public and private sector to reach that ratio,” stressed
Kamwi.
The minister told the pharmacists to feel at home and work hard.
“We
need you to demonstrate your skills. My counterpart (in Ethiopia) told
me that he went for the best. Don’t feel isolated,” he said, adding they
would be loaded with work.
Kamwi also announced at
that occasion that the ministry purchased 25 4×4 Toyota Land Cruisers
which have been converted into ambulances.
The
ambulances cost the ministry N$ 15 537 million. Apart from the Khomas
Region, the ambulances would be dispatched to the Erongo, Hardap,
//Karas, Kavango, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto,
Otjozondjupa and Zambezi Regions.
“I want to appeal to
the recipients of these ambulances to take good care of them. They are
vital assets. Let us make use of them for the intended purposes,” said
Kamwi.
