Ministry of Health and Social Services
The mandate of the Ministry of Health and Social Services is derived from the Namibian Constitution Article 95, where the State is required to maintain the welfare of the people by putting in place legislation that seek to provide health care for the people and also to ensure social welfare for the people including the weak and vulnerable members of society.
The National Radiation Protection Authority
The National Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA) serves as the administrator of the Atomic Energy and Radiation Protection Act. The main duties of the NRPA are to
- Maintain an inventory and record of activities (production, processing, handling, transport, use, storage, disposal) involving radiation sources, and radioactive and nuclear material in Namibia
- Regulate all activities (production, processing, handling, transport, use, storage, disposal) involving radiation sources and radioactive and nuclear material in Namibia
- Inform the Atomic Energy Board (AEB)about the extent of radiation exposure in Namibia
- And generally enforce all provisions of the Atomic Energy and Radiation Protection Act
The NRPA is established as an independent regulatory body. It must act independently in the exercise of the functions under the Act and considers only the relevant provisions of the Act and such scientific and technical matters as may be relevant to the issue concerned. The NRPA has not been created as a juristic person and therefore does not have the administrative autonomy as is the case with other state enterprises.
The organisational requirements for the NRPA and that of the staff performing the work of the AEB are contained in the Directorate Atomic Energy & Radiation Protection Authority, and administrative entity in the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
The NRPA therefore functions independently in as far as it concerns technical and scientific matters within the scope of the Act, but administratively functions as a Directorate in the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
