The management of Maputo’s Central Hospital (HCM), the largest in the country, recognised today that it is at a ‘critical moment’ because it is unable to receive food or health professionals, given the post-election social unrest.
‘We’re going through a critical moment at the HCM, with a higher number of trauma patients compared to other years at this time, and a reduced number of health professionals,’ said the unit’s deputy clinical director, Eugénia Macassa, as she took stock of the last 24 hours, recognising a current deficit of 200 professionals on duty and teams working non-stop for “48 and 72 hours”.
‘This reduction in the number of health professionals is due to the difficulty in reaching the health unit, so we are once again appealing for permission for health workers and ambulances to pass through so that we can provide the health care that patients arriving at the central hospital need,’ she added.
The HCM’s adult emergency department alone received 161 patients in the last 24 hours, 117 of whom were trauma patients, double the number for the same period in 2023, including 62 injured by firearms, two of whom ended up dying on arrival at the hospital ‘in a critical condition’, in a context of repeated clashes between demonstrators contesting the results of the general elections and the authorities.
With a capacity of 1,500 beds and 900 patients currently admitted to HCM, Eugénia Macassa also recognised ‘serious food problems’ at the unit.
‘Because our suppliers can’t get to the health unit either. Because they can’t get to the health unit, we can’t get the food we need to feed our patients,’ she recognised, admitting the possibility that the hospital might stop supplying food: ’We run that risk if we don’t receive food in the next few hours.’
With the operating theatre ‘working non-stop for 24 hours’, Eugénia Macassa also acknowledged the difficulty in stocking up on blood, with only 111 bags of 0.45 litres for daily needs, outside of this time of year, which are around a hundred.
The Mozambican police recorded 236 ‘acts of serious violence’ in 24 hours, in the contestation of the election results, including attacks on police stations and prisons, which caused 21 deaths, the interior minister announced on Tuesday night, guaranteeing the immediate reinforcement of security.
‘Nobody can call or consider these criminal acts peaceful demonstrations,’ said Minister Pascoal Ronda at a press conference in Maputo this evening, at a time of widespread chaos in the country, with barricades, looting, vandalisation and various attacks, the day after the final results of the general elections on 9 October were announced.
The government official revealed that the 236 incidents in the last 24 hours ‘throughout the country’ included 25 vehicles set on fire, two of which belonged to the Republic of Mozambique Police (PRM), 11 police sub-units and a prison ‘attacked and vandalised, from which 86 inmates were removed’, four tollbooths set on fire, three health units vandalised, a central medicine warehouse set on fire and vandalised and ten Frelimo party headquarters set on fire.
‘The consequences were 21 deaths, including two members of the PRM, 25 injured, 13 civilians and 12 members of the PRM,’ added Pascoal Ronda, adding that 78 people have been arrested and that the police are investigating the moral and material perpetrators of these crimes, which represent a “difficult” and “nefarious” moment.
‘In view of the seriousness of the events recorded, the Mozambican government has ordered the immediate reinforcement of security measures throughout the country and the Defence and Security Forces [FDS] will intensify their presence at strategic and critical points,’ said Ronda.
On Monday afternoon, the Mozambican Constitutional Council proclaimed Daniel Chapo, the candidate supported by the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo), as the winner of the election for Mozambican President, with 65.17% of the votes, succeeding Filipe Nyusi in office, as well as the victory of Frelimo, which retained its parliamentary majority, in the general elections on 9 October.
The announcement sparked chaos across the country, with demonstrators in the streets, barricades, looting and clashes with the police, who have been firing shots in an attempt to demobilise them.
Lusa
