Mozambican physician João Schwalbach, who receives an honorary doctorate from the University of Porto on Friday, warned today that the epidemiological pattern of less developed countries "is changing" and warned the world of "new epidemics.

"We didn't have so many heart diseases and strokes, and now they are starting to be common due to the change in people's standard of living. The epidemiological pattern is changing in our countries," said the doctor with a degree in Medicine from the Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) in Maputo, with equivalence from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (FMUP).

Speaking to Lusa, João Schwalbach, a public health specialist, admitted that the traditional triad HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), malaria and tuberculosis absorbs most of the investment in health both in Mozambique and in other less developed countries, but warned: "The world must be alert to new epidemics.

"Of course [this investment continues to be important], because malaria, as we know, is a disease that easily strikes anyone. But it is necessary to develop, to create healthier 'habitat' conditions, without letting other problems that also exist be forgotten," he said.

João Schwalbach warned about the evolution of the so-called river blindness, as well as other neglected tropical diseases, and recalled that covid-19 and Ebola maintain prevalence. "The problem is the selfishness with which we live, the lack of future vision, and this living the present, depleting resources no matter what, that will endanger tomorrow," he pointed out.

The doctor - who currently directs the Higher School of Health of the Higher Institute of Science and Technology of Mozambique (Isctem) and who on Friday will receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Porto - argued that Mozambique and countries with similar characteristics have to invest everything in the training of more professionals and society itself.

"It is essential to invest everything in education and research. Education is the engine of development. But of course Mozambique needs help from outside. But we all need each other, even the richest. Cooperation only has value when both win," he said.

Safeguarding that "even the poor and struggling have things to give" that "may not be money or food," but "may be values and culture," Schwalbach underlined the conviction that "the world can only win if it distributes properly."

"Mozambique stands out a little bit in vaccination. Fortunately there is a good record in Mozambique because, right after national independence in 1975, Mozambique embarked on a massive vaccination campaign and was the champion of the world," he described.

This reality that Schwalbach attributes to the "spectacular" adherence by Mozambicans to the vaccines, which if accompanied by an "even better" sting, is one of the country's current assets and is part of the list of existing theories as to why the covid-19 pandemic "was not as dramatic" in this African country as in Europe.

"There are various theories, various speculations. Some speak of the potential of vitamin D from our sun. Others talk about the fact that Mozambique had a massive vaccination for BCG and against tuberculosis. Or maybe the virus had a lower virulence in Mozambique for whatever reason," he listed.

For João Schwalbach - who inherited the name from his great-great-grandfather, whom he describes as "one of the brave men from Mindelo, the one who broke the siege of Porto" - "Covid-19 taught a lot of good and a lot of bad things.

"For example, one of the bad things I'm seeing now is the profiteering of the pharmaceutical industry in wanting to monetize everything, even out of purpose," he lamented.

Another regret of the specialist born in Tete, in 1942, has to do with the number of doctors in a country that has about 32 million inhabitants.

"At independence there were 75 of us for a country that is seven and a half times the size of Portugal. At the moment we have 4,000 doctors, including national and foreigners, which is clearly insufficient," he analyzed.

Without hiding his concern about the influence that current world conflicts, particularly recent and upcoming ones such as the war in Ukraine, as well as the looming inflationary crises, may have on the burden of donations to the least developed countries, Schwalbach said that "one has to believe that sometimes simple actions solve big problems."

"A lot of health action is done by the population itself, defending and protecting itself. But that depends on investment in the development of societies. For example, it has been proven by several studies, that just the fact that mothers are literate, infant mortality decreases," he told.

Regarding the title he will receive on Friday, the doctor who was in charge of the Health Directorate of the city and province of Maputo, the National Institute of Health and the Regional Center for Health Development of Maputo of the World Health Organization, among other positions, was flattered.

"It means a lot to me, so much so that I'm still digesting it. It means that it looks like my work wasn't so in vain," he concluded. (Lusa)