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Prime minister Ngurare dismisses claims of two-tier healthcare system with VIP wards

Prime minister Elijah Ngurare has rejected claims that proposed 'VIP wards' in public hospitals would create an unequal healthcare system in Namibia. Responding to concerns in the National Assembly, Ngurare stated that reports of a VIP ward for public office-bearers at Windhoek Central Hospital have been "dramatised" and misrepresented. He clarified that the government's aim is to enhance public health services for all Namibians, aligning with president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s directive to improve healthcare standards nationwide. Ngurare emphasized that there is no intention to offer preferential treatment, stating, "There will be no different classes of services being provided. That is not the intention. There is no life that is secondary to another." Similar upgrades are planned for Katutura State Hospital and other public hospitals in Rundu and Swakopmund to ensure consistent quality of care. Opposition lawmakers, including Swanu of Namibia parliamentarian Evilastus Kaaronda and Vetaruhe Kandorozu of the National Unity Democratic Organisation, questioned the perceived inequality, especially following a presidential directive for public officials to use public hospitals. They expressed concerns that the initiative might reinforce existing disparities, with Kandorozu noting that while some hospital sections receive top-tier upgrades, many public facilities remain under-resourced.