Mozambique Initiative [link removed] Written on August 17, 2021, by Ezequiel Marcos Nhantumbo, Mozambique Initiative Representative
Mozambique continues being terribly hit by the COVID-19 with a record of increase in cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Public hospitals in the three main cities of Mozambique have added more beds for admissions, which are already full to capacity. There are, however, limited numbers of medical staff dealing with delicate cases of COVID illness.
Mozambique is going through a series of lockdowns, and once again, the State of National Calamity was imposed on August 16, adding 30 days to the current lockdown. This decree 50/21 was maintained, and more cities and levels of education were called to close down. This includes primary, secondary, universities, and vocational schools, and the reframing of working hours in public and private institutions, shops, churches, and the imposition of a compulsory stay home period.
COVID-19 is changing to the extreme the normal lives of communities. Around the country the media brings stories of people sharing on their experiences of living through the pandemic and how COVID has tremendously affected their lives. The need for recreation of new ways of life has been called into action in many areas of activities, including in the Methodist Church. Such personal experiences are clearly visible on the impact that COVID-19 and affecting the intellect of people, their physical aspect, the culture, values and traditions, the relationships, and planting uncertainties in the future of humankind.

Each lockdown imposed places congregations into enormous challenges. Churches have remained literally “wilted” after a series of shut downs due to the disease. The absence of worship services means no physical presence in chapels where by nature Mozambique people kept their fellowship worshiping traditions. With scarce communication resources for online services, the whole structure literally falls apart. People can no longer freely walk around seeking for food in their fields, nor they are able to easily market goods to sustain own families and the Church. This has brought hunger and starvation to communities and to our pastoral families.
This is posing a lot of challenges for the national economy, families and to the Church, to adapt to the new working hours, social distancing and self-isolation. The Church in Mozambique, particularly those in rural settings, find no alternative since they have no resources to purchase preventive materials required to face the pandemic.
After having vaccinated medical personnel, the army, people with diabetes, and teachers, the third phase of mass vaccination has commenced on August 4 with the launching of national immunization campaign covering the following groups: people with 50 years and above, public bus drivers and public workers. There has been a significant adherence; however, there are also significant absentees mainly because of lack of appropriate communication network, illiteracy, some ignorance, false dissemination of fake news on media regarding the source and importance of the vaccines, and vaccination process.
It’s important to note that, unfortunately, pastors of various denominations in the country have not been called for vaccination. This group could have in the understanding of many people been vaccinated first because they make direct contact with congregations and more importantly because they are positioned in the last chain of COVID, as they are called to bury the deceased people (many of whom die in rural and suburban areas of unknown diseases, including COVID-19).
The Mozambique Initiative contacted the Health Ministry through the Chicuque Rural Hospital, a UM Church related institution, to allow the purchasing of vaccines to immunize Methodist Clergy, but this effort was nullified as it had to include other denominations. The Mozambique Christian Council has issued a request for the immunization of congregations countrywide, but nothing is clear to date. It appears this group will have to wait for the final call if the country gets more vaccines and vaccinates the last age groups (whole population) in near future.
In the beginning of August 2021, Mozambique received 500,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine purchased by the country's private sector in coordination with the government. The procurement of the 500,000 doses of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, an inactivated vaccine called SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cell), is part of the local initiative "United for the vaccine against COVID-19" (UNIVAX), of which 139,000 doses will be offered to the Mozambican government. (Source: Mozambique Public Television).
Filipe Nyusi, the President of Mozambique, has always alerted people that "The pandemic is still far from ending and steps will continue being taken to maintain the COVID-19 preventive measures and assure that social and economic life takes its normal pace.” Indeed, we are still witnessing increases in numbers of cases, with the rising in the contamination speed, including internees and deaths. The President reminded the population of Mozambique that despite uncertainties, we are all called to be humble, respect the truth on our scientists, to be resilient and patient. There will, however, be better days in near future!

COVID-19 is expected to heighten the risks of people living with comorbidities and in challenging living conditions. There are 1.3 million older people in Mozambique, 5% of the population. About 16% of women over 60 years of age live alone, increasing their risk of exposure, 1 about 2.3 million people living with HIV (12% of the population), and an estimated 162,000 people are living with TB, of whom 58,000 also have HIV. People living with immune-compromised conditions have poor access to health services, with 50% of the population living more than 20 kilometers from the nearest health facility.
Following Cyclones Idai and Kenneth in 2019, over 100,000 people are still displaced in 76 sites across six provinces. In Cabo Delgado, over 162,000 people have been affected by insecurity, most of whom are living in overcrowded conditions in host communities. Displaced people living in camps, camp-like settings, resettlement sites or host communities, are all at heightened risk because their right to information, access to healthcare, hygiene, protection services and livelihoods are constrained. (Source: World Health Organization)
A recent update from the Ministry of Health on August 17 said there are reports that in the last 24 hours, 1,033 tested positive to COVID-19, 31 internees, 1,890 recovered and 17 died.
There is in general a cumulative of 104,071 positive cases recorded, from which 139,702 indicate local transmission, and 369 are imported. There is a cumulative of 217,112 on domiciliary quarantine and 811,132 suspected tested cases. There are 6,547 admitted patients. However, 121,449 people totally recovered, and 1,748 people died.
In the last 30 days, there were 1,000+ positive cases almost every day. The city of Maputo has always been at the top on all categories of the disease.
The country has vaccinated a cumulative of 604,488 people against COVID-19 since March 8, 2021. The use of facial masks has highly been encouraged by health authorities, and about 80% of the population has adopted, including distancing and the washing of hands.
WAYS TO RESPOND
PRAY: Lift up our siblings in Mozambique, their communities and churches as the pandemic continues.
GIVE: As Ezy mentioned, COVID-19 has greatly impacted pastors, who receive their primary income from a church salary. Personal pastoral finances are tight with few opportunities to work and no worship services. You can contribute to our COVID-19 Pastoral Support Supplement fund [link removed] at www.mzinitiative.com.


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