Namibia launches its first state-owned air ambulance service
'No Namibian should lose their life simply because they live far from a hospital,' said Vice President Lucia Witbooi.
Windhoek — Namibia has launched its first state-owned air ambulance service, aiming to cut journeys that take hours by road to minutes or a few hours by air for critically ill and injured patients.
Vice President Lucia Witbooi officially launched the service in Windhoek on Wednesday. "No Namibian should lose their life simply because they live far from a hospital," she said, pointing to the country's vast distances between remote communities and referral hospitals.
How it works
The service uses a Learjet equipped to provide critical care in flight. Government Air Transport Services will provide the aircraft and pilots with the health and works ministries, and helicopter evacuations will be carried out with the Namibian Police and the Namibian Defence Force where needed. Specialist medical staff will travel with patients, and emergency centres at national referral hospitals will receive them on landing.
Why now
Health Minister Esperance Luvindao said the service was a practical response while the government builds more hospitals. She recalled a 12-year-old boy from Katima Mulilo who died while waiting to be moved to Windhoek, and a road accident on the Otjiwarongo road in April 2026 where patients could not be flown out in time.
Source: allAfrica, November 2026.
