NAMIBIA could record more than 6 300 new cancer cases annually by 2045 if urgent action is not taken to strengthen prevention, early detection and treatment services.
This was announced by health and social services minister Esperance Luvindao yesterday at the opening of the World Health Organisation, International Atomic Energy Agency and International Agency for Research on Cancer imPACT Review Mission.
Luvindao said projections point to an 84% increase in cancer cases over the next two decades.
“Projections indicate that by 2045, Namibia will face over 6 300 new cases, an 84% increase from today,” she said.
The warning comes as the country’s cancer burden continues to rise. According to Luvindao, Namibia recorded approximately 2 200 new cancer cases in 2018.
By 2022, that figure had climbed to 3 453 cases, while cancer-related deaths reached 1 940.
“The data tells a story that we can no longer ignore,” she said.
Luvindao described cancer as a growing public health and development challenge affecting communities across the country.
“In Namibia, cancer is no longer a distant threat; it is a pressing reality that touches every corner of our community,” she said.
She stated that the disease places a significant burden on households, the economy and society.
“When we talk about cancer, we are not just discussing oncology or pathology.
We are discussing the very fabric of our society,” she said.
She added that Namibia records about 553 breast cancer cases among women every year, and around 350 cervical cancer cases annually.
She also pointed to rising rates of prostate cancer, Kaposi sarcoma and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Despite the growing burden, Luvindao said Namibia has made progress in cancer care through the Dr AB May Cancer Care Centre in Windhoek and the oncology department at Oshakati Intermediate Hospital.
She said the country has invested in chemotherapy, radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging services, while the Namibia National Cancer Registry has provided critical data on cancer trends since 1995, through a partnership with the Cancer Association of Namibia.
However, challenges remain, she added.
“Our registry shows us the ‘what’, but our patients tell us the ‘how’. They tell us about the long distances travelled for care. They tell us about the fear that leads to late diagnosis.”
Luvindao said Namibia continues to face workforce shortages, infrastructure constraints and disparities in access to healthcare between urban and rural areas.
She described the imPACT Review Mission as an opportunity for international experts and local stakeholders to assess the country’s cancer control system and identify areas for improvement.
“This mission is not an audit to find fault. It is not an inspection to assign blame. It is a strategic collaboration,” she said.
The minister said recommendations from the review mission would help shape Namibia’s National Cancer Control Plan and guide future investment, workforce development and policy decisions aimed at improving cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
“It is now my singular honour and privilege to officially declare the imPACT Review Mission for Namibia open,” she said.
