Related documents
- Is amended by Allied Health Professions Amendment Act, 2018
- Is commenced by Commencement of the Allied Health Professions Act, 2004

Allied Health Professions Act, 2004
Act 7 of 2004
- Published in Government Gazette 3247 on 27 July 2004
- Assented to on 13 July 2004
- Commenced on 1 October 2004 by Commencement of the Allied Health Professions Act, 2004
- [This is the version of this document from 6 September 2018 and includes any amendments published up to 1 September 2023.]
- [Amended by Allied Health Professions Amendment Act, 2018 (Act 8 of 2018) on 6 September 2018]
Part I – INTERPRETATION
1. Definitions
In this Act, unless the context otherwise indicates -“allied or complementary health practitioner” means a person registered to practise either an allied or a complementary health profession;“allied or complementary health profession” means the professions referred to in section 18, or a profession declared in terms of section 60 as a profession to which this Act applies;“annual fees” means the annual fees determined by the Council in terms of section 27;“appeal committee” means the appeal committee established by the Council in terms of section 12(3)(a);“audiologist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“audiometrician” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“ayurveda medicine practitioner” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“biokineticist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“certificate of status” means a certificate setting out the information referred to in section 29(2);“Chinese medicine practitioner and acupuncturist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“chiropractor” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“clinical technologist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“commencement date” means the date of commencement of this Act;“committee” means a committee established by or in terms of section 12;“community speech and hearing worker” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“Council” means the Allied Health Professions Council of Namibia established by section 3;“dental laboratory” means any place registered under the Hospital and Health Facilities Act 1994 (Act No. 36 of 1994), where artificial dentures or any other dental appliances are manufactured, repaired, altered, or worked upon, or where any apparatus for the manufacturing, repairing or alteration of such dentures or appliances has been installed;“dental technician” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61, and “dental technologist” has a corresponding meaning;“dental therapist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“diagnostic radiographer” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“dietician” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“dispensing optician” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“educational institution” means any university, college, technical college, technikon, training facility or other similar or related institution or society or other body where a qualification can be obtained which complies with the requirement of a prescribed qualification prescribed in terms of section 19;“education committee” means the education committee established by section 12(4)(a);“electro-encephalographic technician” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“emergency care practitioner (basic)” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“emergency care practitioner (intermediate)” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“environmental health practitioner” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“environmental health practitioner assistant” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“executive committee” means the executive committee established by section 12(1)(a);“fees”, relating to an application, means the fees relating to the application concerned determined by the Council in terms of section 27;“food inspector” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“former Dental Technology Board” means the Dental Technology Board established in terms of section 2 of the repealed Act, and in existence immediately before the commencement date;“former Joint Allied Health Professions Board” means the Joint Allied Health Professions Board established in terms of section 2 of the repealed Act, and in existence immediately before the commencement date;“former Joint Complementary Health Professions Board” means the Joint Complementary Health Professions Board established in terms of section 2 of the repealed Act, and in existence immediately before the commencement date;“former Health Inspectors Board” means the Health Inspectors Board established in terms of section 2 of the repealed Act, and in existence immediately before the commencement date;“former Homeopathic Board” means the Homoeopathic Board established in terms of section 2 of the repealed Act, and in existence immediately before the commencement date;“former Medical Technology Board” means the Medical Technology Board established in terms of section 2 of the repealed Act, and in existence immediately before the commencement date;“former Occupational Therapy Board” means the Occupational Therapy Board established in terms of section 2 of the repealed Act, and in existence immediately before the commencement date;“former Optometry Board” means the Optometry Board established in terms of section 2 of the repealed Act, and in existence immediately before the commencement date;“former Physiotherapy Board” means the Physiotherapy Board established in terms of section 2 of the repealed Act, and in existence immediately before the commencement date;“former Radiography Board” means the Radiography Board established in terms of section 2 of the repealed Act, and in existence immediately before the commencement date;“hearing aid acoustician” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“homoeopath” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“inquiry” means a professional conduct inquiry conducted in terms of PART V;“Interim Council” means the Interim Council established in terms of section 59;“in writing”, relating to any notice to be given, includes a notice, record, the agenda or the minutes of a meeting, or an extract therefrom, sent, delivered or despatched, to the intended recipient by hand, by registered post or by means of facsimile or e-mail, or in any prescribed manner, addressed to the applicable address furnished in writing by that intended recipient, or which has been entered into the register in which the name of the registered person concerned appears;“legal practitioner” means a legal practitioner as defined in section 1 of the Legal Practitioners Act, 1995 (Act No. 15 of 1995);“masseur” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“medical laboratory technician” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“medical orthotist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“medical prosthetist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“medical rehabilitation worker” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“medical technologist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“member of the Council” means a member of the Council appointed in terms of section 7;[definition of "member of the Council" substituted by section 1 of Act 8 of 2018]“mental illness” means a mental illness as defined in section 1 of the Mental Health Act, 1973 (Act No. 18 of 1973), and “mentally ill” has a corresponding meaning;“Minister” means the Minister responsible for Health;“Ministry” means the Ministry responsible for the administration of Health;“naturopath” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“nutritionist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“occupational therapist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“occupational therapy assistant” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“occupational therapy technician” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“ocularist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“operational emergency care orderly” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“optometrist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“orthomedic orthotist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“orthopaedic prosthetist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“orthopaedic technical assistant” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“orthopaedic footwear technician” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“orthoptist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“orthotist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“osteopath” means a person registered as an osteopath in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“other examining authority” means an examining authority recognised by the Minister in terms of section 19(4);“Permanent Secretary” means the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry responsible for the administration of Health;“paramedic (advanced life support)” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“physiotherapist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“physiotherapy assistant” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“phytotherapist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“podiatrist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61, and “chiropodist” has a corresponding meaning;“practise”, in relation to a profession to which this Act applies, includes the taking up of employment where any act especially pertaining to such profession is performed;“preliminary investigation committee” means the preliminary investigation committee established by the Council in terms of section 12(5)(a);“prescribe” means prescribe by regulation;“president” means president of the Council elected in terms of section 10;“profession” means any profession mentioned in section 18(1);“Professional Committee” means a Professional Committee established by section 13(1);“professional conduct committee” means a professional conduct committee established by the Council in terms of section 12(2);“professional conduct inquiry” means an inquiry conducted in terms of PART V;“public holiday” means a public holiday referred to in, or declared under, section 1 of the Public Holidays Act, 1990 (Act No. 26 of 1990);“qualification” means any degree, diploma, or certificate conferred upon a person after having been examined in respect of that person’s proficiency in a particular field of study;“radiographer” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“radiography assistant” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“radiation technologist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“register” -(a)when used as a verb, means to register in terms of section 21, and “registration” has a corresponding meaning; and(b)when used as a noun, means a register referred to in section 24;“registered person” in relation to any profession to which this Act applies, means a person who is registered in terms of section 21 in respect of such profession, or who is regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“registrar” means the person appointed in terms of section 15(1) as the registrar of the Council and of the Councils established by law for the medical and dental professions, the social work and psychology professions, the nursing profession and the pharmacy profession, or the staff member referred to in section 61(7) acting as the registrar;“registration certificate” means a registration certificate issued in terms of section 21;“regulation” means a regulation made or in force in terms of this Act;“remedial gymnast” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“repealed Act” means the Allied Health Services Professions Act, 1993 (Act No. 20 of 1993), and its amendments, repealed by section 62;“rule” means a rule made in terms of this Act;“scheduled substance” means any medicine or other substance classified as such in terms of section 29(1)(a) of the Medicines and Related Substances Control Act, 2003 (Act No, 13 of 2003);“single medium therapist in occupational therapy” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“speech therapist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“speech therapist and audiologist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“speech and hearing assistant” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“speech and hearing correctionist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“staff member” means a staff member as defined in section 1(1) of the Public Service Act, 1995 (Act No. 13 of 1995);“student dental technician” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“therapeutic aromatherapist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“therapeutic masseur” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61, and “therapeutic massage therapist” has a corresponding meaning;“therapeutic radiographer” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“therapeutic reflexologist” means a person registered as such in terms of this Act, or regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61;“this Act” includes the regulations and any rule made in terms of this Act;“unprofessional conduct” means improper or dishonourable or unworthy conduct or conduct which, when regard is had to the profession of the person who is registered in terms of this Act, is improper or disgraceful or dishonourable or unworthy, and includes acts and omissions specified in terms of section 36;“unregistered”, in relation to any profession to which this Act applies, means a person who is not registered in terms of section 21 in respect of such professions, or who is not regarded to be so registered in terms of section 61, and “not registered” has a corresponding meaning; and“vice-president” means the vice-president of the Council elected in terms of section 10.2. Application of Act
This Act applies to the professions referred to in sections 18, 61 and 62(1).Part II – ESTABLISHMENT, OBJECTS, FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONS COUNCIL OF NAMIBIA
3. Establishment of Allied Health Professions Council of Namibia
4. Succession from former Boards to Council
5. Objects of Council
The objects of the Council are -6. General powers of Council
7. Composition of Council
8. Disqualification to be member of Council
A person does not qualify to be a member of the Council in terms of section 7, if that person -9. Vacation of office by members of Council and filling of vacancies
10. President and vice-president of Council
11. Meetings and decisions of Council
12. Executive committee, professional conduct committee, appeal committee, education committees, and other committees
13. Establishment of Professional Committees
14. Funds of Council
15. Appointment of registrar and staff
16. Powers, duties and functions of registrar
Part III – EDUCATION, TUITION, TRAINING, QUALIFICATIONS AND REGISTRATION
17. Control over education, tuition and training
18. Registration prerequisite for practising
19. Minimum requirements of study for registration
20. Application for registration
21. Procedures relating to registration
22. Conditional registration
23. Registration of persons registered conditionally
Any person to whom a conditional registration certificate has been issued in terms of section 22 may apply to the Council, as soon as he or she has complied with that section and the conditions determined thereunder by the Council, for registration in terms of section 21.24. Keeping of registers
25. Removal of name from register and effect of such removal
26. Restoration of name to register
27. Fees payable to Council and maintaining of registration by registered person
28. Register as proof
29. Certificate of status and extract from register
30. Temporary registration for purposes of educational demonstrations or training
31. Educational institutions to furnish particulars
32. Registration of additional qualifications and specialities
33. Continuing professional development
Part IV – OFFENCES BY UNREGISTERED PERSONS
34. Penalties for practising, or using the title of, any allied or complementary health profession, or performing certain acts, while not registered
35. Dental laboratories
Part V – DISCIPLINARY POWERS OF COUNCIL
36. Professional conduct rules by Council
37. Inquiry by Council into complaint, charge or allegation of unprofessional conduct
38. Procedures relating to professional conduct inquiry
39. Professional conduct inquiry in respect of registered person not to prejudice civil or criminal liability
40. Penalties for false evidence
Any person who gives false evidence on oath at any inquiry conducted in terms of this PART, knowing such evidence to be false, is guilty of an offence and on conviction liable to the penalties prescribed by law for the crime of perjury.41. Penalties by Council or professional conduct committee for unprofessional conduct
42. Postponement of imposition of penalties and suspension of execution of penalties
43. Effect of suspension or removal from register
44. Cognisance by Council of conduct of registered persons under certain circumstances
45. Pro forma complainants
46. Limitation of liability
Unless otherwise provided in this Act, the Minister, the Permanent Secretary, the Council or any committee thereof, any member of the Council or of any such committee, the Interim Council or any member thereof, any officer or employee of the Council, or the registrar, is not liable in respect of anything done or omitted to be done in good faith in the exercise of a power or the performance of a duty or function in terms of this Act, or anything that may result from anything so done or omitted.47. Investigation, assessment and powers of Council in respect of impaired registered persons
Part V – GENERAL AND SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS
[This Part should be labelled “Part VI” as it is in the ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS.]48. Charges by registered persons
49. Offences relating to registers, registration and impersonation
Any person who -50. Limitations in respect of unregistered persons and proof of registration for issue of licences
51. Matters relating to investigations and inspections
52. Appeals to appeal committee
53. Appeals to High Court
54. Delegation of powers
55. Regulations
56. General rules by Council
57. Offences and penalties
Any person convicted of any offence in terms of -58. Authorisation to practise professions in employment of the State
59. Establishment of Interim Council
60. Minister may declare certain professions subject to this Act
The Minister may by notice in the Gazette declare that this Act applies to an allied or complementary health profession specified in such notice, if he or she is satisfied, after consultation with the Council, that -61. Transitional provisions
62. Repeal of laws and savings
63. Short title and commencement
This Act is called the Allied Health Professions Act, 2004, and will come into operation on a date to be determined by the Minister by notice in the Gazette.History of this document
06 September 2018 this version
01 October 2004
27 July 2004
13 July 2004
Assented to
Subsidiary legislation
Cited documents 9
Legislation 9
- Abuse of Dependence-Producing Substances and Rehabilitation Centres Act, 1971
- Deeds Registries Act, 1937
- Hospitals and Health Facilities Act, 1994
- Legal Practitioners Act, 1995
- Magistrates Act, 2003
- Mental Health Act, 1973
- Public Accountants’ and Auditors’ Act, 1951
- Public Holidays Act, 1990
- Public Service Act, 1995
Documents citing this one 111
Discussion Paper 1
Gazette 103
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