Despite the storm that is erupting over the Covid-19 vaccine and HIV testing requirements for new recruits, the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs is moving forward with its drive towards 1 500 new members of Namibia Defence Force.
“We are not discriminating, we are trying by all means to remain a strong and reliable force,” the ministry’s deputy executive director, major general Petrus Nathinge, said at a press conference in the capital yesterday.
The ministry states that it will not alter the age requirement of acceptance from 25 to 30 years.
Yesterday, Nathinge said that he was puzzled at the HIV test requirement. He added that for bilateral and multilateral NDF activities, a negative HIV test is usually a requirement.
“The advert says to undergo a comprehensive medical test, including HIV-AIDs. Nothing is left out,” he said.
“We are not discriminating. We just made it clear that yes, indeed there is a requirement for an HIV test,” he said.
Nathinge stated that HIV testing and any other medical conditions are important because military training is a physically demanding undertaking that can sometimes cause injuries.
“The NDF as an instrument of foreign policy is expected to participate in bilateral and multilateral activities where a negative HIV test is in most cases a requirement,” he said.
Nathinge stated that Covid-19 vaccination is an effective preventive and mitigating measure against the spread pandemic.
“During military and fitness training activities it is not advisable for one to wear a mask as it may lead to oxygen deprivation, resulting in suffocation,” he said.
Colonel Petrus Shilumbu, NDF’s public relations officer, stated that they are not forcing anyone to have vaccinated.
Shilumbu discredits widespread belief that the requirement for NDF applicants to be vaccinated with Covid-19 is a government scheme to increase vaccinations.
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is currently the only single-dose Covid-19 vaccine available in Namibia.
To be fully vaccinated, all other vaccines must be administered in two doses. Before the announcement of the NDF recruitment, the number of J&J single doses administered between 3 and 6 July was 478.
Since the announcement on 7 July, over 2 600 J&J jabs have been administered in the country up to Tuesday.
This is according to the daily Covid-19 immunization report from the health ministry.
Shilumbu said that because recruits are often trained in a hostile environment, often sleeping in overcrowded tents, and marching closely together, it is imperative for the NDF to require Covid-19 vaccines.
“We had members of the NDF who succumbed to Covid-19 already, and many others were severely sick with Covid-19, including myself.
“We just want to keep everybody healthy, because the moment we have everybody vaccinated, then we are all well protected.”
Shilumbu said that the NDF has already established a directive in place since November 2021 to make sure all NDF members are vaccinated.
“We are not forcing people to be vaccinated, our invitation says that people should be vaccinated. We are not asking anyone to get Covid-19 vaccinations.
“Each organisation or institution sets a standard, people only question things when they are not in their favour. Other institutions follow their requirements. We just want to make sure that all our trainees are protected, it’s not about getting the vaccination numbers up,” Shilumbu asserted.
Ben Nangombe, the executive director of Health Ministry, also denied the allegations.
“I do not hold the view that responsible leaders and administrators or managers work or carry out their duties on the basis of ploys,” Nangombe said.
The defense ministry, which is currently recruiting 1 500 cadets has come under fire for mandating HIV testing and Covid-19 vaccine as a requirement for NDF applicants.
Many young Namibians are disgruntled by the country’s high youth unemployment rate and the requirements that were interpreted as discriminatory.
Elma Dernda, deputy chief whip for Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), challenged parliamentarians this week to also take HIV tests, in case the army is forcing young Namibians.
Aurelia David, spokesperson at the Office of the Ombudsman said that on Tuesday the ombudsman had appointed a team to engage the defense ministry to get more clarity about HIV-AIDS testing requirements and Covid-19 vaccination requirements.
However, applicants must be prepared to take the tests, which aren’t necessarily mandatory, she stated.
Dr Esperance Lulindao said Tuesday that making HIV testing a requirement in any job is discriminatory.
Many young Namibians without jobs were left scrambling earlier in the week to meet the requirements and obtain Covid-19 vaccinations.
Source: namibian
