The health sector is facing increasing challenges due to political instability, which has caused damage to infrastructure, especially in the provinces of Maputo, Nampula and Zambézia.

One of the warehouses of the drug supply center in Maputo was destroyed last week by a fire, resulting in the loss of drugs worth 5 million dollars. The country's hospital units have been affected by the post-election protests.

There is damage to materials, infrastructure and restrictions on access to hospitals because the roads are blocked. In a RFIThe permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health, Ivan Manhiça, said that "the majority of patients who arrive at hospitals with injuries end up staying longer, overloading health units".

However, he guarantees that "there has been no significant increase in the number of deaths inside hospitals".

In order to cope with the growing demand at health facilities, especially due to trauma resulting from accidents, malaria and political demonstrations, Mozambique has launched a national blood donation campaign. "This campaign, which lasts until January, is aimed at the whole of society. The expectation is that we can collect at least 3,000 units of blood to help the Mozambican population in need at our health facilities," explained the permanent secretary.

The demonstrations in the country have created a climate of fear and, in some situations, resulted in threats and attacks on health professionals, as well as damage to infrastructure such as health centers and ambulances. The mobility of professionals and vehicles has been affected, overloading health units and making it difficult to care for chronically ill patients, pregnant women and children.

The response capacity of hospital units is compromising the provinces of Maputo, Nampula and Zambézia. "The mobility of professionals and vehicles has been severely affected," describes Ivan Manhiça, overloading health units and making it difficult to provide care, especially to chronically ill patients, pregnant women and children.

The source also explained that "health professionals are finding it difficult to move around freely, affecting the response capacity of hospitals, particularly in the provinces of Maputo, Nampula and Zambézia".

(Photo DR)