Destruction of warehouse reduced medical assistance capacity

Maputo, 18 Feb (AIM) – Mozambican Health Minister Ussene Isse said on Monday that the country has lost much of its medical assistance capacity as result of the fire that destroyed the warehouse of the Maputo Medical Supply Centre, during the post-election crisis characterized by rioting, looting and destruction.

Mass demonstrations were called by the former presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane in order to protest against the fraudulent results of the general elections held on 9 October. The demonstrations started peacefully but then degenerated into rioting and looting. In clashes between protesters and police, over 300 people were shot dead.

According to the minister, who was speaking to reporters after paying a visit to the Maputo Medical Supply Centre, the damage caused to the warehouse is budgeted at over 500 million meticais (7.8 million dollars at the current exchange rate).

He explained that the fire also destroyed a great deal of medical equipment, including more than twenty vehicles. “We will have to invest again”, he said.

According to the minister, the import of medical supplies takes around eighteen months. “Eighteen months working with minimal resources is too much, so I want to take this opportunity to ask the population to be very patient”, he said, “because eventually a health unit may need medical tools or medicine and it may not be available. A lot of material has been destroyed.”

However, the minister announced last week that the country has medicines available for the next nine months, although there are challenges in distributing them across the country. He explained that medicines were available even before the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced its suspension of support to the country’s health system following President Donald Trump’s decision to shut down USAID.

The looting of medical stores was clearly not ordered by Venancio Mondlane – indeed, Mondlane has urged his supporters not to take part in such destruction. The authorities have not yet identified those behind the attack on the medical stores, or many other targets chosen by the rioters.
(AIM)
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