Windhoek—The Health Professions Councils of Namibia (HPCNA) has announced significant changes to the intake numbers for nursing and midwifery training institutions across the nation, setting new limits to begin in 2025.

According to Namibia Press Agency, HPCNA Registrar and Chief Executive Officer Cornelius Weyulu revealed that starting next year, each nursing and midwifery institution will be restricted to enrolling only 50 students annually. This decision was prompted by concerns that the increasing number of enrollees was compromising the quality of practice and patient safety, leading to higher unemployment rates among graduates. These measures aim to maintain training quality, prevent practice deficiencies, and ensure public protection.

Weyulu emphasized that the directive would apply from the next intake cycle for educational institutions that have already exceeded this new student limit. Additionally, all approved educational institutions are now required to hold only one intake of students per year. Non-compliance with these directives will lead to the withdrawal of approval by the Nursing Council.

Furthermore, the council has decided to pause the approval of new nursing and midwifery campuses indefinitely, with an exception for those already approved but not yet operational. The introduction of new undergraduate training programs for these fields is also suspended until further notice.

Simon Namesho, Manager of Public Relations and Corporate Engagement at the University of Namibia (UNAM), commented that despite these regulatory adjustments, the university does not anticipate a negative impact on its operations, maintaining that the quality of graduates remains a top priority.