Special Fund


Question 1: When does one qualifies to benefit from the fund?

The qualifying criteria’s are as follows

  • Namibian Citizen
  • State patient
  • Not able to be treated at any state facility due to the unavailability of the necessary medical equipment or medical personnel

Question 2: How does one apply to the fund?

Patients are to be seen and treated at a referral or regional hospital (Windhoek Central Hospital, Katutura Intermediate Hospital, Oshakati State Hospital, and Rundu Intermediate Hospital) before they can be recommended by a state doctor to the special fund.

The fund treat conditions such as major cardiac, spinal, brain and abdominal surgeries, organ transplant, radiotherapy for cancer patients, kidney dialysis, special surgery for resections and any other medical treatment that requires treatment in an intensive or high care unit in a hospital due to post surgery complications.

Question 3: Do private patients qualify to benefit from this fund especially when medical aid can only pay a small amount of the total funds required for an operation for example?

This fund is established to assist Namibians that are unable to afford the private health care. Under normal circumstances the special fund only caters for state patients without medical aid.

Get to know your Health Services!


How many health facilities are there in Namibia?

Namibia has four tiers in the public health system: 1150 outreach points, 309 health centers, 34 district hospitals, and four intermediate and referral hospitals.

How many referral hospitals are there in Namibia?

Out of the 34 sdistrict hospitals, the country has five referral hospitals, including Windhoek Central, which is considered a national referral facility, while the Katutura, Oshakati, Onandjokwe and Rundu facilities are intermediate hospitals.

How many private hospitals are in Namibia?

Private health services are provided by over 200 facilities countrywide. In addition to five private hospitals in Windhoek, there are also private hospitals in the coastal towns of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, Otjiwarongo and Tsumeb in the north as well as Ongwediva in north-central Namibia.

Hospitals and health services

Services provided at public hospitals may include emergency care, elective and emergency surgery, medical treatment, maternity services, and rehabilitation programs. Some services require admission to hospital either as a day patient or overnight.