Guidelines for doctors to treat more patients

THE first comprehensive standard treatment guidelines for Namibia were introduced on Wednesday to help doctors, nurses and pharmacists to treat more patients,

‘This publication obviously holds a special significance for people who work in the healthcare field,’ said the United States ambassador to Namibia, Wanda Nesbitt, at the launch on Wednesday.The 891-page book contains guidance to treat more than 500 different conditions.Nesbitt said the book had taken more than two years of hard work, and required the cooperation of people from widely varying sectors – the Ministry of Health and Social Services, private sector, University of Namibia, and many others.She said it is a symbol of how incredibly productive a genuine partnership between government and donors can be, and is also a symbol of the commitment that the US shares with the government of Namibia to improve the health of Namibians.’And it is tangible evidence of the willingness of Americans to share the knowledge we have with others, and to help people far beyond our borders develop the skills and the tools they need to take better care of themselves,’ noted Nesbitt.According to her, the project is the result of a recommendation made by a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) consultant, ‘but the cooperation and deep involvement of many Namibian partners brought it to fruition’.’Once these treatment guidelines are distributed, it will be possible for men, women, and children in rural areas to get the same treatment as their counterparts in better off urban areas,’ she said. Nesbitt further said that strengthening healthcare systems is one of the central tenets of US president Barack Obama’s Global Health Initiative (GHI).She said the GHI is a simple but powerful initiative that seeks to move above and beyond the massive efforts that have gone into tackling specific diseases to ensure that they also work to improve the overall healthcare system.’We want to ensure that our assistance supports Namibia’s priorities, that we pay closer attention to the health of women and children as the keys to healthy families and that we do it in the most effective way,’ she said.The US ambassador said her country is committed to ensuring that countries like Namibia gain the skills necessary to take over initiatives and, ultimately, lead new, innovative programmes of their own.- Nampa

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