Mozambique: Violence, climate change affect health care

ANKARA (AA) - Climate change and violence in Mozambique have left health facilities and health staff experiencing “a difficult year,” the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Tuesday.

“The health system has been the double victim of Cyclone Kenneth and a large-scale outbreak in violence which has seen […] the destruction of more health facilities,” the ICRC said in a statement.

“According to an assessment made by ICRC health experts, 39 health facilities out of 55 – or 71% of them -- in nine conflict-affected Cabo Delgado districts are non-operational. Moreover, 686 health professionals have fled their places of work due to insecurity,” the statement said.

Both armed violence and lack of health care have forced over 500,000 people to flee their homes in the Cabo Delgado region, amid a spike in the number of diseases, including COVID-19, it added.

The ICRC said it has been assisting the internally displaced persons, adding it also opened a COVID-19 treatment center to help residents prevent the transmission of the disease through masks and hygiene.