First the Cyclone, now the contagion. Northern Mozambique is reeling from nature鈥檚 blows听over听the past year.听
On听25 April 2019,听the Category-4 tropical Cyclone Kenneth struck the communities of some 280,000 people. The Province of Cabo Delgado,听which听borders听Tanzania, is marked by displacement due to insecurity which generates important humanitarian needs. In February 2020,听cholera was identified, affecting hundreds of people. Now COVID-19 brings a new threat.听
IOM鈥檚 presence in Mozambique听had听ramped up in the听six weeks听following the arrival of the听Category-4听Cyclone Idai, so it was well positioned to support the Government of Mozambique in Cabo Delgado where the Organization is now working on cholera relief, the provision of critical relief items to displaced populations and听the听government鈥檚 COVID-19 response.听听听听
鈥淲hile many families in Cabo Delgado are still working towards recovery one year after Cyclone Kenneth, and are affected by insecurity, yet another challenge has arrived听in the form of听COVID-19,鈥� said IOM Mozambique Officer-in-Charge Laura Tomm-Bonde.听听
鈥淭hese families are already very vulnerable. We must continue to urgently work together with the Government of Mozambique and humanitarian partners in this high-risk period to ensure that the necessary information and health resources are available for vulnerable communities to have access to basic essential services, and to strengthen prevention measures against the spread of COVID-19.鈥澨�
Mozambique听announced听its first COVID-19 case on 22 March, and on听23 April reported 46 cases (eight imported and 38 local transmissions), most located in the capital Maputo and Cabo Delgado province. According to Ministry of Health data, the largest number of cases have been identified in Cabo Delgado (26 cases), all due to local transmission.听
Cabo Delgado听is especially vulnerable to contagion. The province has one of the highest HIV infection rates in Mozambique. There is concern that COVID-19 would be difficult to control if it spreads within听those听communities.听听
Cabo Delgado province also听lies along an international migration route, with migrants coming from the Horn of Africa bound for South Africa.听 Its border attracts migrants from neighboring provinces, as well as from nearby Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania, who conduct artisanal mining. Many miners and community members live in poor conditions.听听
Thus,听COVID-19鈥檚 reach into Cabo Delgado compounds other vulnerabilities. Displaced families are living in crowded spaces with host families, which could put them at higher risk of contagion. That makes听 IOM鈥檚 shelter support for displaced families ever more critical.听听听
IOM has been supporting the provincial health authorities in their preparedness and response activities and contributing to community awareness-raising efforts on COVID-19 prevention measures. The Organization has equipped Activities youth volunteers with megaphones and backpack sprayers to spray public transport vehicles with chlorinated water, and is conducting awareness-raising at public gatherings and message in local languages like听Macua, Muani and Maconde.听听听听
IOM also provides听vehicles with megaphones to spread prevention messages.听
IOM鈥檚听鈥業t's Our Right鈥櫶齪roject, aimed at improving access to sexual and reproductive health information, is adding COVID-19 to its curriculum for the training of 200 change agents in parts of Cabo Delgado.听听听听
These change agents include听migrants, young people and sex workers, who will conduct mobilization activities and awareness raising sessions on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, HIV, and COVID-19. The training is implemented in partnership with the INGO CUAMM; the project is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Mozambique.听
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After the passage of Cyclone Kenneth, IOM and partners provided immediate emergency relief through the provision of emergency shelter and non-food items (NFIs) to more than 45,000 families, which included tarpaulins, toolkits, blankets, and other critically needed items.听听听 IOM provided 2,200 families with construction materials and labour support to build resilient shelters. IOM retrofit seven cyclone-damaged public buildings and provided Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) support in displacement sites.听听听 IOM provided mental health and medical counseling for over 2,000 people, referrals to 470 patients for specialized medical care, and psychosocial support activities for over 33,000 people. In addition, the HIV/TB programme identified over 1,300 individuals whose treatment had been interrupted, nearly 700 of whom were successfully reintegrated to treatment.听 The emergency cholera response reached its height in the first quarter of 2020; IOM helped the Health Department missions to set up cholera response treatment centres, which evaluated and helped treat over 190 people and reached over 7,100 others through a variety of awareness raising activities.听听听听 IOM鈥檚听Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM)听has expanded its operations to 19 districts and, in coordination with the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGC), conducted eight baseline assessments capturing population estimates and geographic distribution, sectorial needs and access to services.听 DTM also conducted eight Multi-Sectorial Locations Assessments in five resettlement and transit sites in Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces:听 According to recent DTM reports, 6,655 individuals remain displaced in resettlement and transit sites.听听听 IOM is providing multisector support to families affected by insecurity, inclusive of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), Protection, emergency shelters and NFI, together with coordination of the Shelter and CCCM Cluster, to the extent possible and when access permits. In the past three months, IOM provided emergency shelter support and NFIs to more than 5,600 families across four districts that have received displaced people due to insecurity.听 |
