Mozambique’s Nampula province has witnessed the conclusion of an intensive 12-week emergency response by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in the Eráti district. The organization’s intervention was a critical lifeline for displaced and host communities in Alua Velha, Alua Sede, and Miliva, areas addressing overwhelmed local health services and heightened risks of disease outbreaks. Despite ongoing efforts, MSF has noted that significant gaps in healthcare access persist.
The emergency operations were initiated by MSF in December 2025, in the wake of the largest displacement wave of the year, driven by attacks by the Islamic State Mozambique and subsequent fears of further violence. Over 100,000 individuals from Memba district sought refuge in the Eráti district, many under dire circumstances. Josefina Pedro, a resident of Alua Sede, recounts the plight of the displaced, saying, “People arriving had nowhere to go and nothing to eat.
The fear and exhaustion were written on their faces. So those of us who already lived here began to take in whoever we could.”MSF’s mobile clinics in Alua Sede, Alua Velha, and Miliva became a beacon of hope, providing over 18,000 medical consultations, with weekly peaks of over 2,000 consultations.
Children comprised nearly two — thirds of the patients, with malaria being the leading cause of illness, accounting for over half of all consultations. The teams also addressed antenatal care, family planning, mental health services, and conducted health promotion activities reaching tens of thousands.
Despite the relief provided, barriers to healthcare access remain. Isabel Carlos Pereira, a woman who fled from Memba, laments, “Back in my village, we have to pay for consultations and medicines, and sometimes there are no drugs available at the health centre.”The distance to the nearest health centre, often requiring between 150 and 250 meticais, and transport costs pose significant hurdles for many.
Laura Mário Freda, a resident of Miliva, expresses the relief of having a mobile clinic, “Having a mobile clinic here is like a dream. We can come and consult someone at any time.”During the cholera epidemic, MSF supported the Ministry of Health by establishing a cholera treatment centre in Alua Sede and training local health staff.
Water, sanitation, and hygiene activities were also implemented, including the building of emergency latrines and rehabilitating water sources. However, as the crisis’acute phase waned and displaced individuals began returning to their areas of origin, MSF handed over activities to the Ministry of Health, revealing the enduring structural gaps in healthcare access in remote and underserved areas. MSF underscores the need for sustained, coordinated, and needs-based humanitarian responses, emphasizing the importance of assistance provided based on need alone.
Source: reliefweb
Original author: Médecins Sans Frontières
