NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Friday, November 4, 2016

Patients in Namibia can now be treated by locally trained doctors who the government hopes will help transform the country’s health sector, according to BBC. Before the country’s first medical school was opened in 2010, medical students in Namibia had to seek training overseas. Some went to neighboring South Africa, while others traveled to as far as Russia and China.

With the first batch of 37 doctors graduating from the School of Medicine at the University of Namibia earlier this year, many people believe the country is on track to find a lasting solution to its doctor shortage problem.

“We are now training more doctors than ever. Our research has shown that in our hospitals, we need multiple disciplines including pharmacists, physiotherapists, and dentists to work alongside doctors. We believe we are now taking steps in the right direction,” Namibia’s Deputy Minister for Health Juliet Kavetuna said.

In the past, the Namibian government has spent millions of dollars to fund medical students studying overseas. The majority of these graduates preferred to work in the private sector, which offers better pay and working conditions.