Namibia launches e-birth notification system

WINDHOEK. - Namibia launched the e-birth notification system on Wednesday and pilot projects are set to run at the Windhoek Central Hospital and Katutura Hospital in the capital in June 2017.

The e-birth notification system launched in Windhoek is a joint venture between the home affairs ministry and the health ministry.

Home affairs minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana said the system will notify the National Population Registration System as soon as a birth occurs.

This, she said, will be done by a nurse who will be facilitating the delivery.

The system, the minister said, will ensure verification of the mother’s identity as it is linked to the registration system, and improve data quality and production of vital statistics.

“Such information is essential for planning and implementing development policies and programmes, particularly in health, education, housing, water, sanitation, employment, agriculture and industrial production,” she said.

Iivula-Ithana said children cannot enrol in schools and will not be eligible to receive child support.

The minister stressed that without a birth certificate, children cannot enrol in schools and are not eligible to receive child support.

“When children have no legal proof of age and legal identity, they are more vulnerable to early marriage and other harmful practices, including child labour, illegal inter-country adoption and recruitment into armed forces and groups or commercial sexual exploitation,” the minister also said. - Xinhua.