Mozambique News

Maputo, October 6, 2014 - Experts, academics, senior staff  from the Government and partners in the health sector recently participated in Maputo, in the 1st National Meeting of Public Health to analyze the situation of Public Health in Mozambique and define actions to improve health status of populations. 

“Great progress has been made in clearing landmines across Mozambique,” says Luis Wamusse, a campaigner for the rights of landmine survivors, “but today, the focus needs to move to help persons living with disabilities as a result of mines.”

With more than 2.5 million children unregistered and the causes of over 300,000 deaths unknown in the country, Mozambique has embarked on an ambitious plan to address the civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) needs of its population.

The World Health Report 2013 is now available in Portuguese. The Report focuses on the importance of research in advancing progress towards universal health coverage, which means that citizens obtain the health services they need without suffering financial hardship when paying for them. The report identifies the benefits of increased investment in health research by low- and middle-income countries through case studies from around the world incl. Mozambique (page 108), and proposes ways to further strengthen this type of research and information sharing.

With a prevalence of 46% of children under five in rural areas , malaria is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Mozambique.  The disease represents nearly half of all outpatient visits and more than half of all inpatient visits at paediatric clinics.

Malaria accounts for a high burden of morbidity and mortality in all parts of Mozambique especially among children. The disease is particularly prevalent in the rural areas, where almost 1 in 2 children under five have or have had malaria

To lower the high disease burden and reduce mortality rates, the Ministry of Health and WHO conducted a training course for a core team of malaria laboratory technicians from the National Reference Laboratory. 

Lichinga, Niassa, 30-31 Aug 2013 – The dirt road leading to the machamba in Machomane outside Lichinga city (22Km) is dry and dusty. Though the road is quiet, the machamba is very different that usually. The machamba is bustling with dancing women in colourful capulanas and men playing drums. The crowd is awaiting the arrival of the Vice-Minister for Health, Dr Nazira Vali Abdula. Among the participants is Dr Felisbela Gaspar, Director of the Institute for Traditional Medicine, in the Ministry of Health established four years ago in 2009. 

Maputo 31 May 2013 - The sun is setting over the city of Maputo. Shops are closing and the roads that were bustling just an hour earlier are now quiet and almost empty. Though most people are on their way home, security guard Lucas Jaime has most of his working day ahead of him. Next to him on a small table in front of the tall building where he works are a pack of cigarettes and a set of matches.

The Ministry of Health in Mozambique is currently finalising its Health Sector Strategic Plan (Plano Estratégico do Sector Saúde - PESS 2013-2017). 

The PESS is a comprehensive plan, which incorporates and prioritises all areas of the health sector. It aims at guiding the health sector in the most beneficial direction to achieve established goals. 

Maputo 10 April 2013 - The Mozambican Ministry of Health, introduced on 10 April 2013 the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 10 (PCV-10) into the national immunization program. The launch of the PCV-10 took place in Boane District and was chaired by the Minister of Health, Dr. Alexandre Manguele, who also gave the first vaccine.

The introduction of the PCV-10 was organized collaboration with the WHO, UNICEF, GAVI, USAID, Save the Children, VillageReach, Fundação para Desenvolvimento da Comunidade (FDC), and other partners.