IUM moves to train more specialist doctors locally

Accreditation marks a major step
A partnership with the University of Zimbabwe aims to strengthen postgraduate medical training in Namibia and reduce reliance on specialist training abroad.
Ndapandula Lilonga
  • 2 Days Ago

The International University of Management (IUM) has joined forces with the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) to assess clinical facilities that could support the training of more specialist doctors in Namibia.

A team of medical specialists from UZ arrived in Namibia on 11 October for a five-day accreditation and validation exercise, which was announced at a media briefing at IUM’s Dorado Main Campus on Monday.

The delegation is led by UZ Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Academic and Administration Professor A. Mamvuto and Faculty of Medicine dean Dr F. Makoni. It includes specialists and heads of department in anaesthesiology and critical care, general surgery, internal medicine, paediatrics and child health, psychiatry and mental health, and obstetrics and gynaecology. They are working with specialists from the Ministry of Health and Social Services and IUM medical professors to assess designated teaching hospitals.


Building local specialist capacity

IUM vice-chancellor Professor Osmund Mwandemele described the exercise as an important milestone for the university’s School of Medicine, saying accreditation is essential to maintaining the quality and credibility of its postgraduate specialist training programmes.

He said the partnership could help Namibia train more specialist doctors locally instead of relying heavily on opportunities abroad. “The step taken by IUM is very important in the sense that there is no other university in Namibia offering specialised postgraduate programmes to produce specialist doctors,” Mwandemele said.

Mamvuto said the collaboration falls under UZ’s Scheme of Association, through which the university mentors and supports affiliated institutions.

He described the current exercise as an opportunity to ensure that accreditation decisions reflect the conditions and resources available at the facilities being assessed.

Mamvuto also expressed satisfaction with progress observed during visits to Katutura State Hospital and Windhoek Central Hospital.


Tackling Namibia’s specialist shortage

IUM founder and council chair Professor David Namwandi highlighted Namibia’s shortage of medical specialists and the need for sustainable local training programmes.

He said existing training opportunities remain limited, with the Master of Medicine in Anaesthesia producing only a small number of specialists each year.

The partnership could also extend beyond medical training to include joint research, student exchanges and wider academic cooperation.

IUM is contributing to healthcare infrastructure through the construction of a 120-bed hospital in Ondangwa. In 2025, the university acquired medical equipment worth about N$8.5 million for Rundu State Hospital, with the aim of strengthening services and reducing the need for patients to travel to Windhoek for specialised treatment.

The initiative could help strengthen Namibia’s specialist medical workforce and improve access to specialised healthcare, provided the facilities meet accreditation requirements and the training programmes can be sustained.