April 1, 2024
Algeria: Exiled Sahrawi population faces critical shortages in healthcare and food
On World Health Day, we’re working to highlight the plight of those affected by Cyclone Idai in Mozambique
1.4 million
Affected
1,741
Cholera cases
200,000
Houses destroyed
The storm caused 598 deaths and displaced thousands
At Doctors of the World we’re working alongside the government of Mozambique and the national health authorities to ensure continued access to healthcare for the thousands of people affected by Cyclone Idai.
We are also working to prevent an outbreak of cholera from becoming a serious epidemic. There have been 1,741 confirmed cases of cholera across the country with 2 reported deaths.
Many health centers and hospitals in the region have been partially or fully destroyed. The numbers in need of healthcare continue to rise, and Doctors of the World has set up a field health clinic in the John Segredo IDP camp in the Nhamatanda district where 1,200 people are currently struggling to survive. We are treating many patients with malaria, AWD (Acute Watery Diarrhea), and cholera.
In the John Segredo IDP camp, the situation is dire. Families who have lost everything continue to arrive in search of shelter, food, and medicine. The biggest concern in the camp and elsewhere is the outbreak of cholera.
In response to this concern, Doctors of the World is supporting a cholera vaccination campaign in the camp that is being organized by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO). 30,000 people have already been vaccinated against the disease across Mozambique, and the aim is to reach 800,000 people by April 9th.
Our teams are also working to rebuild and rehabilitate a health center in Sengo, Dondo, 30 kilometers from the city of Beira. We are assisting in the repair of the roof and in the provision of medical supplies so that the center can become operational again.
“So far we have been supporting local health centers to restore their services through emergency rehabilitation and also through the provision of medicine. In addition, we are also providing support to health care services in reception centers for those who have been displaced”, explains Cristina Miñana, the General Coordinator for Emergency Response in Mozambique.
Local health workers are working in extremely precarious and dangerous conditions. Many have been working nonstop for weeks in order to reach the communities affected by Cyclone Idai. Today as we highlight the importance of the right to health, we also want to honor the health workers of Mozambique who are working tirelessly everyday to save lives.