Ministry of Health warns against misinformation on global health regulations

Ministry of Health warns against misinformation on global health regulations

Ministry of Health, and Social Services Executive Director, Ben Nangombe says the ministry appreciates public interest in the Global Pandemic Convention and changes to the 2005 International Health Regulations. He however warned against misinformation.

December 18, 2023 31

Health / Medical

Namibia ranks 6th globally in alcohol consumption, surpasses South Africa

The latest World Health Organization global status report on alcohol and health shows that Namibia, Afghanistan, the Maldives, and Eswatini have a higher average daily intake than South Africa, with the list topped by Tunisia. Meanwhile, the global prevalence of alcohol dependence is at 2.4 percent, with a legal drinking age average of 18 years worldwide. According to the WHO, overall, 5.1% of the global burden of disease and injury […]

December 13, 2023 214

Health / Medical

Climate change risks triggering a spike in infectious disease outbreaks: three reasons why

By Wolfgang Preiser, Stellenbosch University; Cheryl Baxter, Stellenbosch University; Houriiyah Tegally, Stellenbosch University; Monika Moir, Stellenbosch University, and Tulio de Oliveira, University of KwaZulu-Natal Climate change is our planet’s most immediate existential threat, and will likely only worsen for the foreseeable future. Among its numerous adverse effects on human health, there is strong evidence linking climate change to infectious disease outbreaks. A recent analysis revealed that of 375 infectious diseases […]

December 13, 2023 15

Health / Medical

NAMBTS urges Namibians to donate blood this festive season

In a crucial call to action, the Blood Transfusion Service of Namibia (NAMBTS) is urging all eligible blood donors in the country to make a commitment to donating blood regularly, aiming to ensure the well-being of thousands of patients as the festive season approaches. Despite persistent efforts to replenish blood supplies over the past weeks, NAMBTS reports that the blood reserves remain critically low, particularly for O-positive and O-negative […]

December 8, 2023 8

Health / Medical

HIV, AIDS, and COVID-19 leading causes of death in working-age population

A new report from the Namibia Statistics Agency shows that HIV and AIDS, COVID-19, and other communicable diseases remain the leading causes of death among the economically active population in the country. In 2020 alone, HIV and AIDS accounted for 13.5% of deaths among adults aged 15-59, while COVID-19 became the leading cause of death in 2021, accounting for 15.1% of fatalities in this age group.

December 6, 2023 8

Africa

Tackling climate change can improve public health in Africa – new report highlights how

By Chris Malley, University of York; Alice Akinyi Kaudia, University of Nairobi; Andriannah Mbandi, South Eastern Kenya University; Kevin Hicks, University of York; Philip Osano, Stockholm Environment Institute, and Youba Sokona, UCL African countries can simultaneously address climate change and improve public health by reducing air pollution. In many cases these actions also have other societal, economic, environment or health benefits. Addressing these together is challenging because they are often […]

December 4, 2023 18

Business / Economics

US Embassy in Namibia Unveils new facility, Cementing Strong Bilateral Ties

By Dilia Mazula In a grand celebration, the US Embassy in Namibia hosted a media day to unveil its newly constructed building, marking a significant milestone in the robust relationship between the United States and Namibia. The event was led by US Ambassador, Randy Berry and Scott Sables, the Construction Manager for the project, who provided insights into the innovative features and the impact the facility will have on both […]

November 30, 2023 69

World

UNAIDS urges continued efforts ahead of World AIDS Day

With World Aids Day around the corner, the Deputy Executive Director for UNAIDS, Angeli Achrekar, says that despite efforts geared towards eliminating AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, the “job isn't done. This as UNAIDS launched its latest report titled 'Let Communities Lead' on Tuesday.

November 29, 2023 9

Health / Medical

How worried should we be about the pneumonia outbreak in China?

C Raina MacIntyre, UNSW Sydney; Ashley Quigley, UNSW Sydney; Haley Stone, UNSW Sydney, and Rebecca Dawson, UNSW Sydney Reports of a surge in pneumonia-like illness primarily affecting children in northern China have captured our attention. The last time we heard about a mysterious respiratory outbreak leading to overcrowding in hospitals was the beginning of the COVID pandemic, so it’s not entirely surprising this has caused some alarm. On November 22 […]

November 28, 2023 7