Nursing and medical internship in Namibia
Nursing and medical internship in Namibia
Nursing and medical internship in Namibia

Useful information

Go to the heart of Namibia to complete your medical internship in Africa, and contribute to the goal of access to healthcare for all set by the United Nations. In constant contact with the community, you will have many opportunities to interact with them and to discover the local culture in depth. You will also assist the team of health professionals of the different medical structures working with our partner NGO. Join a multicultural team of professionals and acquire practical skills through a field mission!

BSc in Nursing
Nursing Education
Studies in the field of health
Associates Degree in Nursing

IN SHORT

Windhoek

From
 4  
to
 12  
weeks

Intermediate English

CONTACT US

Program description

Nursing internship in Africa, medical project in Namibia:

  • Location: Epukiro, Omaheke Region, eastern Namibia. About 5 hours’ drive from Windhoek
  • Duration: 2 to 12 weeks
  • Dates: all year round, volunteers arrive on Monday or Tuesday

Like all our nursing and medical internships abroad, this project in Namibia allows you to validate your year while gaining hands-on experience, contributing to the United Nations’ goal of access to healthcare for all. 

You will work in a small rural clinic in eastern Namibia, in a village home to around 500 people from the San and Herero communities. In this region, the clinic is truly the heart of the community.

You will assist the doctor and nurse in their daily activities and help provide basic care to the inhabitants. You will offer practical and technical support, take part in consultations, administrative tasks, and clinic activities.

You will interact with local patients and have the opportunity to learn about their culture and way of life, but above all, to provide help to people living in extreme poverty. All volunteers are welcome! Whether you’re an experienced doctor or just starting out, you will be given tasks appropriate to your experience level.

Project highlights

  • Assist the local medical team in treating common infections
  • Work at the heart of a San community and support their journey towards a better life
  • 24/7 local support for volunteers

Project details

Thanks to the local medical team and San interpreters, around 3,500 patients are treated each year. About 40% of the patients are children, and 70% of them are under 5 years old. Tuberculosis and AIDS severely affect this community, where alcoholism is also widespread. Many patients also suffer from more minor conditions.

Children often suffer from fungal infections, intestinal worms, diarrhea, malnutrition, or oral infections. These aren’t particularly serious infections in themselves, but if left untreated, they can cause severe complications, and even death in the most serious cases.

In addition to its clinic work, the team also visits local schools, farms, and villages. A Community Health Program also aims to teach some community members basic healthcare and first aid.

Your role

You will work hand in hand with local professionals and learn how to identify and treat infections affecting the local population through this nursing internship in Africa. You will receive training suited to your skills and experience level.

Medical students will be able to develop their clinical skills, especially in basic examinations and learning patients’ medical histories.

Professionals will be responsible for consultations and will assist the local teams in their outreach work. Their efforts will have a real impact on people truly in need of help.

Regardless of your experience, you will also take part in the clinic’s daily tasks:

  • First aid: perform initial observations, reassure patients, administer basic treatments, and refer them to emergency services if needed
  • Examinations: carry out urine and pregnancy tests, glucose tests, and enter the results
  • Weigh babies and monitor their growth curves
  • Take blood pressure readings
  • Help at the pharmacy: manage stock, package medication, place orders
  • Welcome and support drug users on their journey to sobriety
  • Assist the nurse during her community visits
  • Carry out maintenance and cleaning tasks at the clinic
  • Participate in side projects: vegetable garden, community programs, etc.

Volunteers who can offer the clinic specific skills are encouraged to let us know. We are also open to any suggestions that could benefit this project during your nursing internship in Africa.

French students will find here the welcome brochure with all the necessary information.

Read more

Nursing internship Africa

As with all of our nursing and medical internship abroadthis project in Namibia allows you to gain university credits while acquiring field experience and contributing to the UN's goal of universal access to healthcare.

You will work in a small rural clinic in eastern Namibia, in a village with about 500 inhabitants of the San and Herero peoples. In this region, the clinic is truly the heart of the community.

You will assist the doctor and nurse in their daily activities, and help them provide basic care to the locals. You will provide practical and technical assistance, and participate in consultations, administrative tasks and clinic activities.

You will be in contact with local patients and will have the chance to discover their culture and way of life, but above all you will be able to bring your help to people living in extreme poverty. All volunteers are welcome! Whether you are an experienced physician or a newcomer to the field, you will be given assignments appropriate to your level of experience.

Strengths of the project

  • Assist the local medical team in the treatment of common infections
  • Work in the heart of a San community and accompany them towards a better life
  • 24-hour local assistance for volunteers

Project details

Thanks to the local medical team and the San interpreters, about 3500 patients are treated each year. About 40% of these patients are children, and 70% of them are under 5 years old. Tuberculosis and AIDS are severe in this community, where alcoholism is also rife. Many patients also suffer from more minor problems.

Children often suffer from fungal infections, intestinal worms, diarrhea, malnutrition or oral infections. These are not particularly serious infections as such, but if left untreated, they can cause severe complications, and death in the most severe cases.

In addition to their work at the clinic, the team also works with local schools, farms and villages. A Community Health program is also designed to teach basic health care and first aid to selected community members.

The role of volunteers

You will work hand-in-hand with local professionals and learn to identify and treat infections that plague the local community with this medical internship in Africa. You will receive training tailored to your skill level and experience.

Medical students will be able to develop their clinical skills, including basic examinations and discovery of patients' medical histories.

The professionals will be given responsibility for consultations, and will assist the local teams in their outreach work. Their work will have a real impact on people who really need help.

Regardless of your experience, you will also participate in the day-to-day tasks of the clinic:

  • First aid: make the first observations, reassure the patients, administer basic treatments, refer them to emergency services if necessary
  • Examinations: Performance of urine and pregnancy tests, glucose tests, and data entry of results
  • Weighing babies and monitoring their growth curve
  • Taking blood pressure
  • Assist in the pharmacy: stock management, packaging and ordering of medications
  • Welcoming and accompanying drug users towards sobriety
  • Supporting the nurse during her visits to the community
  • Carry out maintenance and upkeep work in the clinic
  • Participate in side projects: vegetable garden, community program, etc.

Volunteers who could bring special skills to the clinic are invited to let us know. We are also open to all proposals that could benefit this project during your medical internship in Africa.

Host organization

The ambition of our NGO is to build a better Africa through community and environmental projects that allow us to bring our help to those who really need it.

We are dedicated to this cause and offer our volunteers unforgettable experiences that often exceed their expectations!

Since 2009, we have been conducting volunteer projects in South Africa and Namibia.

Read more

We are dedicated to this cause and offer our volunteers unforgettable experiences that often exceed their expectations!

Since 2009, we have been conducting volunteer projects in South Africa and Namibia.

Strong points

Practical experience in care
Multicultural team
Work with professionals
Community Support
Knowledge of common diseases and care
Understanding of a new health system

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