Dr. Tjitemisa Kandjengo

Dr. Tjitemisa Kandjengo is a pulmonologist at Katutura State Hospital in Windhoek — Namibia's main government referral hospital serving the township area of the capital. As one of Namibia's few specialist pulmonologists, he provides respiratory medicine services at the frontline of the country's dual tuberculosis and HIV epidemic.

Namibia has one of the world's highest TB incidence rates, compounded by HIV co-infection which dramatically elevates TB risk and complicates treatment. TB-HIV co-infection management — coordinating anti-TB therapy with antiretroviral treatment, managing immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS), and diagnosing opportunistic respiratory infections — is the central challenge of his practice. MDR-TB is an increasing concern requiring specialised regimens under the national TB control programme.

Dr. Kandjengo trained in Namibia and South Africa, obtaining his Fellowship in Pulmonology through the College of Medicine of South Africa (FCPulm(SA)). He is a member of the South African Thoracic Society.

Dr. Kandjengo completed his MBChB at the University of Namibia (UNAM) School of Medicine and undertook pulmonology specialist training in South Africa, completing the Fellowship in Pulmonology of the College of Medicine of South Africa (FCPulm(SA)) through a recognised South African teaching hospital. He has completed WHO-supported MDR-TB management training, GeneXpert implementation training, and HIV-TB co-infection management workshops supported by MSF and WHO in Namibia.

Dr. Kandjengo's pulmonology practice is dominated by TB and HIV-related lung disease. He performs GeneXpert MTB/RIF testing for rapid TB diagnosis and rifampicin resistance detection, sputum induction for patients unable to produce spontaneous specimens, and fibreoptic bronchoscopy with BAL for diagnosis of pulmonary TB in smear-negative patients and PCP (Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia) in HIV-positive patients. He initiates and manages MDR-TB treatment regimens under the national programme, coordinates ART initiation timing in TB-HIV co-infected patients, and manages IRIS.

For non-TB respiratory disease, he performs spirometry for COPD and asthma assessment, manages COPD with GOLD-guideline pharmacotherapy, and manages occupational lung disease including silicosis — prevalent in Namibia's mining sector. He performs pleural aspiration and refers for thoracoscopy through the South African network.

Katutura State Hospital's pulmonology service primarily serves Namibia's public health system. International patients — including mining industry workers and NGO staff — requiring pulmonology assessment in Windhoek can access the outpatient service. Dr. Kandjengo consults in English. For complex pulmonology cases beyond Namibia's capacity, he facilitates referrals to South Africa — Johannesburg and Cape Town are 2 hours by air.

Dr. Kandjengo holds FCPulm(SA) from the College of Medicine of South Africa and is a member of the South African Thoracic Society. He has been recognised within Katutura State Hospital for his contribution to TB-HIV co-infection management and MDR-TB programme implementation. He participates in Namibia's national TB control programme activities and has contributed to WHO-supported pulmonology capacity development in Namibia.