Namibia

Blindness in Namibia

Namibia is situated in southwestern Africa, bordering Zambia, Angola, Botswana, and South Africa. The country achieved independence from South Africa in 1990 after enduring decades of apartheid. Since gaining independence, Namibia has made efforts to reform and desegregate its health system. However, access to healthcare remains an issue. According to the World Health Organization’s Country Cooperation Strategy, over 40% of Namibians live further than five kilometers from a health facility, and in the middle region of Hardap, 82% of patients reported waiting more than three hours for health services.

In addition to the difficulties with healthcare infrastructure, only 2 ophthalmologists serve the entire country, which is over twice the size of Germany. According to census data from 2011, visual impairment was the second most common disability in Namibia. Almost 30,000 are blind or visually impaired. Furthermore, the 2011 Census Disability Report found that 45 percent of blind Namibians never attended school. Among Namibians with visual impairments, 28 percent had never attended school.