Namibia Hosts Workshop to Strengthen Tobacco and Alcohol Control Policies Through Parliamentary Engagement

Namibia Hosts Workshop to Strengthen Tobacco and Alcohol Control Policies Through Parliamentary Engagement. The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MHSS) has officially opened a week-long Parliamentary Engagement Workshop on Tobacco and Alcohol Control Policies in Windhoek. Running from 14–18 July 2025, the workshop brings together policymakers and stakeholders to tackle the growing public health burden posed by tobacco and alcohol use in Namibia.

The workshop is focused on reviewing existing laws, exploring effective tax reforms, and aligning Namibia’s approach with global best practices. It also aims to strengthen the country’s response to non-communicable diseases linked to tobacco and alcohol consumption.

Opening the workshop, Hon. Dr. Esperance Luvindao acknowledged Namibia’s progress under the Tobacco Product Control Act of 2010 and its 2014 Regulations, implemented in line with the WHO MPOWER Strategy. However, she cautioned that more needs to be done to reduce the health and economic costs of substance abuse.

The workshop has outlined key objectives, including:

• Updating policymakers on global, regional, and national trends in non-communicable diseases.
• Promoting integration of brief tobacco interventions into current healthcare frameworks.
• Empowering lawmakers with tools to design evidence-based tax and policy reforms.
• Learning from other countries’ experiences with sin taxes and tobacco legislation.
• Introducing the SAFER initiative and strategies for alcohol control.

This initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure stronger, evidence-driven public health policies in Namibia, with implications for healthcare sustainability, productivity, and national well-being.