This concerns the residents of Tielela and Matola
neighborhoods, who have raised their voices, asking the authorities to address
the issue of building a suitable health post, particularly a maternity ward.
The locals from these two neighborhoods in Nampula
province northern of Mozambique say that talking about a health center is a
major challenge because they are forced to travel a distance of 8 to 9
kilometers to access essential healthcare services that are vital for dealing
with the illnesses affecting their region.
However, Ernesto Paulino, a resident of the Matola
neighborhood, specifically from the Namusso area, shared his account of how it
is to access basic health services for his community
"We are in a difficult situation because we don't
have a health center here in the neighborhood. To go to the hospital, we have
to travel to the urban health center downtown, which is very far for us, or we
can go to the CFM Health Center, which is also complicated. We must cross the
railway line, which at times isn't easy because sometimes the train blocks our
way", he said.
He added that "In 2022, my neighbor lost his life on
the way to the hospital. He had diarrhea and vomiting, and it was 1 a.m.,
making it even harder to reach the hospital due to the lack of transport and
the dangers of traveling at that hour, considering the high crime rate and lack
of street lighting."
Amisse, a widow, shared her story of losing her last
child while she was pregnant, also on the way to the hospital
"It was a very sad day, I was almost due, but due to
the lack of a health center, I had to lose my baby near the railway line
because I couldn't make it any further. The road we used to take no longer
offers safe conditions, and the bridge, which collapsed, hasn't been replaced.
I ask the government, if they can't rebuild the bridge, to please build a health
center here in Namusso."
It is important to note that the residents of Matola and
Tielela neighborhoods live primarily off subsistence agriculture and artisanal
fishing. These neighborhoods not only request the establishment of a hospital
but also raise concerns about erosion affecting this area of Nacala. (Gabriel Cassimo)
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