Covid-19: NGO criticises closure of services during weekends at largest hospital in Mozambique

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Covid-19: NGO criticises closure of services during weekends at largest hospital in Mozambique

4:58 CAT | 27 Oct 2020

in file CoM

Mozambican non-governmental organisation Citizen Observatory for Health (OCS) criticised the closure, at weekends, of some services at Maputo Central Hospital (HCM), the largest in the country, at a time when it recommends avoiding gatherings

“The OCS understands that this scenario could contribute to the rapid spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, as health facilities are potential sources of transmission and contamination of diseases” and patients who seek some of these services are all required to seek hospital care only on working days, which creates gathrings, says the Citizen Observatory for Health, in a statement distributed to the media.

According to the organisation, among the services that are closed during the weekends in the largest Mozambican hospital are the Clinical Analysis Laboratory and the Cardiology area.

“The Citizen’s Observatory for Health condemns the lack of effort on the part of HCM to avoid gatherings in different health services, with emphasis on cardiac and diabetic patients who are among the most vulnerable to Covid-19, at a time when Maputo is declared as a region where community transmission takes place ,” says the NGO. Opening these services over the weekend would also reduce the long queues which may be seen outside the Maputo Central Hospital from Monday to Friday, it adds.

Lusa tried unsuccessfully to contact Maputo Central Hospital.

The Maputo Central Hospital is the largest in the country, with seven clinical departments and attending, on average, 900 users per day.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the hospital is favouring external consultations and is currently receiving between 300 and 400 people daily.

By Monday, Mozambique had recorded a total of 12,161 cases of Covid-19, 88 deaths and 9,254 (76%) recoveries.

Source: Lusa