Nursing students chased out of clinical sites

'Overpopulation' blamed
Growing student numbers are outpacing the capacity of public health facilities to provide clinical supervision, forcing some UNAM health sciences students to miss compulsory practical training.
Ndapandula Lilonga
  • 1 Day Ago

The University of Namibia (UNAM) has confirmed that students in its health sciences programmes, including nursing and medicine, are being turned away from clinical training sites due to a shortage of supervision capacity at public health facilities, highlighting growing pressure on the country's health education system.

The issue was raised by the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Professor Cilas Wilders, during a presentation to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Youth, Civic Relations and Community Development on Friday. The meeting formed part of broader discussions on expanding health training centres to meet rising demand for medical education.

Professor Wilders said student enrolment was increasing faster than the capacity of hospitals and clinics to supervise learners during clinical placements, which are a compulsory part of health sciences training.

"Our students were chased out of specific clinical sites by supervisors because of the overpopulation of those facilities, and that is not conducive to the training of our students," he said. "The real constraint is the gap between the public demand for health training places and the health system's clinical training capacity."


'Overcrowding'

He said overcrowding at clinical facilities had become one of the university's most significant operational challenges, limiting the quality of practical experience available to nursing and medical students.

According to Wilders, the mismatch between student intake and available clinical supervision capacity risks undermining the quality of training while placing additional pressure on already stretched public health facilities.

The concerns follow a motion adopted by the National Assembly in November last year calling for a comprehensive review of health training programmes. The motion, tabled by Winnie Moongo in June 2025, called for an evaluation of whether existing programmes meet labour market needs and for a review of accreditation processes overseen by Namibia Qualifications Authority and the Health Professions Council of Namibia.

Students have also voiced concerns about repeated disruptions to their clinical placements.

Jada Ndatega, a fifth-year medical student at UNAM, said the situation was affecting both morale and academic progress.

"We prepare for clinical placements expecting to gain essential hands-on experience, only to arrive and find there is no space for us," she said. "It not only delays our training but also creates anxiety about completing our studies on time."

Education stakeholders have called for closer coordination between universities and public health facilities, as well as investment in additional training infrastructure, to ensure students can complete their clinical requirements without disruption.