Mozambique: Chronic non-communicable diseases responsible for 29 percent of deaths

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Mozambique: Chronic non-communicable diseases responsible for 29 percent of deaths

1:37 CAT | 10 Nov 2025

File photo: AIM

The Mozambican health authorities have revealed that chronic non-communicable diseases are responsible for 29 percent of deaths in the country.

According to the Health Minister, Ussene Isse, who was speaking at the closing session of the First Scientific Meeting on Cardiovascular Health, an event that took place in Maputo, the most notable diseases are high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and kidney disease.

“In order to reverse the problem, we call for greater intervention and scientific rigour”, he minister said.

The Minister highlighted the strengthening of primary care as essential for the continuous monitoring of cardiovascular health, noting that 65 percent of the population lives in rural areas, where access to specialized care is limited.

He also said that the continuous training of health professionals is crucial to improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

For his turn, Fidélio Citefane, chair of the meeting, said that 33 percent of the Mozambican population is hypertensive, which is the biggest risk factor for cardiovascular disease. “Maputo city and province record about 300 deaths per month related to these diseases, associated with increased sedentary lifestyles and the consumption of processed foods and foods with excessive salt, especially among young people”, he said.

“In response to this situation, two priority initiatives were presented: A Weight Room, A Stethoscope, An Oximeter, which aim to strengthen the screening of childhood heart disease in health facilities”, he added.

The strategy consists of using routine child weighing as an opportunity to identify early signs, using an oximeter and stethoscope. The project will initially be implemented in the southern province of Zambézia and may later be expanded to other provinces.

The second initiative, the ‘Hypertension Corner’, already in its pilot phase, proposes the systematic measurement of blood pressure for all users, regardless of the reason for their visit. The aim is to increase the early detection of hypertension, reduce hospital admissions and decrease preventable deaths from cardiovascular complications.

During the First Scientific Meeting on Cardiovascular Health, awards were given to the best posters and scientific articles, acknowledging merit and innovation in cardiovascular health research in the country.

Source: AIM