MOZAMBIQUE – The U.S. Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has delivered 100 oxygen cylinders for each provincial hospital in Mozambique and 285 oxygen concentrators for provincial and district hospitals.
The donated cylinders and concentrators will help ensure the availability of oxygen to hospital patients suffering from severe respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19.
This latest donation from the American people builds on previous support to the Mozambican Ministry of Health (MISAU) with a total of 1,100 oxygen cylinders, 300 oxygen concentrators, 50 portable ventilators, a PSA plant, and various other oxygen delivery equipment, and training to healthcare providers.
In addition, the U.S. government has provided the country with 14.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. The total value of the U.S. funding provided to Mozambique to combat COVID-19 now stands at over US$107 million.
“For many sick people, oxygen can mean the difference between life and death. Our donation ensures that regional hospitals can store more oxygen, having it available when there are sudden spikes in illnesses. We want regional hospitals to have what they need to treat critically ill people locally,” USAID Mission Director Helen Pataki recently said.
One of the donated concentrators went to the District Hospital of Nacala Porto where it was recently delivering oxygen to five premature babies who were surviving thanks to the donation of this equipment.
Health programs represent a critical component of the broader U.S. Government’s assistance in Mozambique.
In close collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Mozambique, the U.S. Government provides more than US$500 million in annual assistance to improve the quality of education and healthcare, promote economic prosperity, and support the overall development of the nation.
USAID launches MCAPS programme
Last month, USAID announced the start of the Malaria Capacity Strengthening (MCAPS) programme in Mozambique. The five-year initiative is designed to improve the quality of malaria services in the country.
According to USAID, this is a part of the broader U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) to eliminate malaria.
The agency said in a statement that Mozambique has made considerable progress toward reducing malaria deaths from 970 in 2018 to 408 in 2021.
Still, Mozambique is one of six countries accounting for more than half of all global malaria cases, as nearly 30 percent of all deaths in the country are due to malaria.
It also said the rates of malaria in Nampula, Zambézia, and Manica provinces are among the highest in the country.
“This consortium will work in close partnership with the Ministry of Health’s National Malaria Control Programme at the national, provincial, and district levels, as well as with MOH health facilities, community health workers, health management committees, communities, and others,” the statement read.
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