First State-owned N$49.8m MRI facility opened

Adolf Kaure

Presidential Minister Charles Mubita, on behalf of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, launched Namibia’s first State Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) facility since independence at the Windhoek Central Hospital on Thursday.

The MRI facility, valued at N$49.8 million, includes an MRI machine, accessories and the infrastructure upgrades required to house and operate it.

Speaking on behalf of President Nandi-Ndaitwah, Mubita said the MRI machine will improve the diagnosis and management of neurological, spinal, abdominal, pelvic and other complex medical conditions, leading to better public healthcare.

“It will support doctors in making better-informed clinical decisions and contribute to improved patient management,” he said. Other benefits include shorter turnaround times and improved patient outcomes.

Equity and dignity

Statistics indicate that the public sector serves 85% of the Namibian population.

Over the past five years alone, the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MHSS) referred more than 4 000 patients to the private sector for MRI services, at a total cost exceeding N$80 million. This amounts to an average expenditure of more than N$16 million per year.

According to Mubita, the introduction of MRI services in the public health sector is fundamentally about equity and restoring dignity for all Namibians.

“Advanced medical technology must not be reserved only for those who can afford private healthcare. The pensioner dependent on a state pension has the same dignity as a person with private medical aid.” Equally, a patient who cannot afford private medical imaging deserves the same appropriate and timely investigation as one who can.

This facility will therefore bring modern technology closer to ordinary Namibians. It will help narrow the gap between what healthcare technology can provide and what our people can access,” he said.

Also speaking at the launch, health minister Dr Esperance Luvindao echoed Mubita’s sentiments, saying the state-of-the-art MRI facility is set to close the gap in the quality of healthcare in state and private hospitals.

“The introduction of the MRI machine in the public health sector is one such decisive step in bridging this gap, and a reassurance that public health patients can, and must, enjoy quality health services like those available in the private sector,” Luvindao stated.

Maintenance and investment recovery

If properly maintained, the MRI machine has an expected lifespan of approximately 20 years.

Based on the average expenditure on private-sector referrals over the last five years, comparable referrals over 20 years could have cost the government approximately N$320 million. Even after accounting for staffing, operation, and maintenance costs, the investment could generate substantial long-term savings and shared-service efficiencies within the healthcare system. At that average referral cost, the initial investment could be recovered within approximately three years.

Thereafter, the government would retain significant value by providing the service within the public health system, rather than continuously purchasing it entirely from private providers.

Last year, MHSS adopted a five-year Strategic Plan anchored on the theme: ‘World Class, Health for All.’ This theme resonates well with the Universal Health Coverage Policy and NDP6 strategic objectives for the health sector. The launch of the MRI facility shows how the Universal Health Coverage Policy compels the government to ensure that all Namibians enjoy quality health care services conveniently, without enduring financial hardship. -akaure@nepc.com.na

The post First State-owned N$49.8m MRI facility opened appeared first on New Era.