UNAM

Founded by Act of Parliament on 31 August 1992, UNAM is a multicampus, public, research-led institution with a mandate to deliver higher education, advance knowledge through research, provide community extension services, and promote social and economic development in Namibia and beyond.

Collaboration

UNAM provides a broad and evolving portfolio of undergraduate, postgraduate, professional, and continuing-education programmes across natural sciences, engineering, health sciences, social sciences, education, humanities, commerce, law, and beyond.

Research and innovation are central to UNAM’s vision. The University currently hosts over 300 active research projects led by faculty and postgraduate students. Through interdisciplinary centres, labs, and collaborative partnerships, UNAM aims to produce high-impact outputs addressing local, national, continental, and global challenges.

Dementia is a collective term for more than 120 different brain diseases. These are terminal illnesses for which there are no cures and which the life expectancy averages nine years after diagnosis, and during this period, the person living with dementia increasingly requires care. The care for these patients is compromised as Namibian nurses remain with limited knowledge about dementia and the care thereof.  The lack of knowledge about dementia leads to significant and serious problems due to other harmful practicing of witchcraft. Because the patient’s behaviour changes, they are often unjustly accused of being witches. This stigma makes their lives unsafe.

Over the past fifteen years, ADN has built up considerable expertise in caring for people with dementia, referring to this as supporting people with dementia in their final phase of their life. Mr Ton in ’t Veen and Mrs Claudine Dhaene are experts from the Netherlands where there is much more knowledge, and special nursing homes where people with dementia live and receive care.

Mr Ton in ’t Veen and Mrs Claudine Dhaene, intends to facilitate the process from their company in Namibia, which will enable them to be present themselves. They have the benefit of the unemployed nurse in Namibia at heart, to gain and return with more knowledge to support the Namibian Nation. This is extremely important for the Nambian nurses as none are trained in Alzheimer Dementia. The effect of the disease on the Namibian Nation is devastating. Expertise in the form of this project can only contribute to the health system of our country. The knowledge and experience of Mr in ‘t Veen and Ms Dhaene are indispensable to the country.

In addition, through our discussions we picked up a full commitment towards improving the lives of people living with dementia and their families in Namibia, through the strong partnership with ADN.

We aim to set up projects, in cooperation with ADN and the universities in Namibia, that raise awareness about the disease and how you can support people living with dementia and their family within your own community.

Together with ADN we will offer an exchange program. To motivate nurses and informal caregivers in The Netherlands to apply for the training program of ADN in Namibia. We export skills and import students into Namibia.

UNAM will build a strong partnership with ADN in Swakopmund and spread their expertise and experience with universities and professional nurses across Namibia.

We are also in the early stages of a collaboration between Welwitchia University, UNAM (University of Namibia), and a university in the Netherlands. This is still in its initial phase, but it is intended to lead to a long-term partnership.

The group studies how health and social care can be organised around individuals with complex, long‑term challenges, moving away from system‑driven routines, and toward personalised, integrated, and value‑based care. Researchers collaborate closely with professionals, citizens, and organisations to design practical methods that help tackle the “wicked problems” of today’s healthcare landscape.

Collaboration?

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