Ministry of Health Signs Landmark Agreement With Africa CDC to Improve Medicine Procurement
The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MHSS) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in a move aimed at improving the availability and affordability of essential medicines, medical equipment and vaccines in Namibia.
The agreement forms part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the country’s health commodity supply systems and address challenges that have contributed to shortages at health facilities.
At the centre of the partnership is the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM), which will allow Namibia to benefit from pooled purchasing by leveraging collective buying power to secure health commodities at more competitive prices and improve delivery times.
Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Esperance Luvindao, said the agreement is ultimately about ensuring that patients receive the healthcare products they need when they need them.
“This agreement is about making sure that no clinic runs out of stock, no patient is delayed care, and no community is left behind. It connects procurement to the real needs of our people,” Luvindao said.
Africa CDC Director-General, Dr Jean Kaseya, said the partnership demonstrates the importance of African countries working together to strengthen their health systems.
“By pooling our buying power, we can get medicines and equipment to Namibia quicker, at a lower cost, and build systems that are ready for both daily needs and emergencies,” Kaseya said.
Beyond procurement, the agreement will support capacity-building within the Ministry, including training for MHSS personnel in supply and commodity management.
The training is expected to strengthen the systems responsible for ensuring that health products are properly managed, stored and delivered to communities in a timely manner.
The partnership is therefore expected to contribute to a more reliable health supply chain, while reducing the risk of stock-outs and improving access to essential health commodities across Namibia.
