By:Justicia Shipena
The government’s accountability report for 2021/22 states that the health ministry has offered 251 internships to medical and health-related graduates.
Of these, 188 were from medicine, 28 from dentistry, 33 from pharmacy, and two from clinical psychology.
The reportfurther says that the ministry has employed 1 392 workers in various disciplines, with registered and enrolled nurses making up 42% of the total.
It also lost 785 workers due to retirements and resignations for greener pastures.
Nurses accounted for 37% of the staff loss.
In addition, the ministry’s workforce development programme supported 306 undergraduate students studying abroad in countries such as South Africa, Zambia, Russia, Cuba and India in the fields of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, environmental health, and clinical technology.
All the students’ financial expenses for tuition, books, study permit, accommodation, transport, medical insurance and monthly stipends were covered.
In the meantime, a total of 17 students completed their studies during the 2021/22 reporting period.
A total of 76 staff members completed various study programmes of which eight medical officers completed medical specializations, 27 nurses completed various nursing specializations, 40 nursing bridging courses and one allied health professional.
During the reporting period, the ministry started its medical orientation programme for foreign-trained medical graduates who were unsuccessful with the Health Professions Councils of Namibia (HPCN) pre-internship examination.
Some 130 foreign-trained medical graduates underwent an eight-month clinical attachment at various teaching hospitals in Namibia.
In response to Covid-19, the report says that the office of the Prime Minister approved temporary structure consisting of 2 605 posts for the appointment of additional workers to help in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, only 1 744 people recruited of which 52% covered the job categories of community health workers and graduates in various health-related fields.