NHP questions survey on healthcare services

Namibia Health Plan (NHP) has challenged the findings of a survey by the Namibia Private Practitioners’ Forum (NPPF), saying it was not given an opportunity to review the survey’s methodology before the results were published.

In a statement, the country’s largest medical aid fund said the survey, based on responses from 221 individuals, did not provide sufficient information to determine whether it reflected the views of healthcare providers across the country.

“NHP has neither been provided with nor had the opportunity to review the detailed survey methodology, including the sampling approach, respondent composition and the basis on which the findings were analysed. Without this information, it is difficult to establish whether the findings are representative of the broader healthcare provider community,” said NHP principal officer Dantago Garosas.

Garosas said the public announcement focused mainly on NHP’s performance, without providing enough information on how other medical aid funds performed.

“We encourage greater transparency and balanced reporting when communicating findings that could affect public confidence in the medical aid industry.

We call for respectful collaboration among industry stakeholders and a shared commitment to strengthening healthcare service delivery for all Namibians,” she said.

The fund also denied claims that it had taken legal action against the Namibia Dental Association (NDA).

“In fact, NHP and the NDA were not involved in any legal proceedings and now have a better working relationship, with several matters having been resolved jointly. It is imperative that institutions such as the NPPF provide accurate and contextual information to the public and promote constructive engagement rather than further animosity within the industry,” Garosas said.

The statement follows the NPPF’s recent release of survey findings on the performance of medical aid funds.

NHP said it remains focused on improving services to members and healthcare providers.

According to the fund, claims payments rose from N$86.5 million in April to N$152.3 million in September, while call centre performance improved, with more calls answered and fewer abandoned.

“NHP, like any large organisation, strives to serve each member to the best of its ability. We recognise that service challenges may arise, but our responsibility remains to address member queries within the appropriate turnaround times and continuously improve the overall member experience,” Garosas said.

She added that the fund will continue working with the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa), the Namibia Association of Medical Aid Funds (Namaf) and the Ministry of Health and Social Services to address concerns through established channels.

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