outreach and community-based health service delivery vehicles as well as the
introduction of mobile clinics in the regions.
In August 2012, following numerous complaints about poor health service
delivery in the country, the President ordered a Commission of Inquiry to
investigate the operations and the conditions of health facilities in the country.
The report of the Commission was delivered to the President during the first
quarter of 2013.12 The President directed the Ministry of Health and Social
Services to implement the recommendations of the report with immediate
effect. The Ministry has incorporated the recommendations into its Strategic
Plan for 2013-2017.
18.1 Physical and mental health of the citizens
The National Policy for Mental Health which was launched in 2005 aims to
achieve and maintain a high standard of mental health and well-being in the
population of Namibia, as well as to reduce stigma against people with mental
disorders. This is to be achieved through the development of a comprehensive
community-based mental health service that is decentralized and integrated
into the general health service.
There is currently only one mental hospital in Windhoek and one mental
ward in Oshakati. The MoHSS envisages having fully functional specialized
mental hospitals in Windhoek, Oshakati and Nankudu by 2018 and another
one in Keetmanshoop by 2023.
19.
ARTICLE 17: THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION
In terms of Article 20(1) of the Namibian constitution “All persons shall have the
right to education”. Article 20 (2) provides that primary education shall be
compulsory and that the State shall provide reasonable facilities to render
effective this right for every resident within Namibia, by establishing and
maintaining State schools at which primary education will be provided free of
charge.
New primary and secondary schools including the first ever vision school in
the country has been built for the past two years. The 2012 statistics
regarding the net school enrolment ratio shows that slightly more females
12
Report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry – Ministry of Health and Social Services - 2013
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