Mozambique: Health unit reopens after December cholera disinformation riots

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Mozambique: Health unit reopens after December cholera disinformation riots

5:19 CAT | 28 Aug 2025

File photo: Ikweli

The Nanhupo-Rio health unit in Mogovolas district has reopened after being closed since December following vandalism in riots related to the cholera outbreak, Mozambican authorities in the northern Mozambican province of Nampula announced this Thursday.

“The health unit has now reopened, all activities are underway, the staff are there, and there has been no community unrest at this time. We are working in harmony,” said Nampula’s provincial health director, Selma Xavier, in a statement to Lusa.

At least four health centres in Mogovolas district were closed until March after being vandalized due to a wave of misinformation about the spread of cholera, at a time when post-election protests were also taking place across the country.

Nampula’s provincial health director told Lusa that the reopening of the health centre was accompanied by community awareness campaigns to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

These initiatives involve community leaders and local associations, urging the public to seek reliable information from health authorities and collaborate in the prevention of diseases like cholera, rather than resorting to acts of violence.

Serving an estimated population of 50,000 to 60,000, the local unit is the second-highest in the Mogovolas district, in that northern Mozambique province.

“We are creating mobile brigades, and the new administrator has been holding community consultations to ensure that no further acts of vandalism occur,” said the Nampula provincial health director.

On May 20, Lusa reported that authorities in the Mozambican province of Nampula were negotiating with Doctors Without Borders (MSF) to rebuild the operating room in Mogovolas, which was also vandalized in December.

The director of the Mogovolas District Health, Women’s and Social Action Services, Alimo Chea, explained to Lusa at the time thatthe international non-governmental organization had in the talks expressed its willingness to “support the rehabilitation”. Work was already underway to replace the generator system, which was set on fire by locals, but MSF staff were not returning to the field.

According to the bulletin from the National Directorate of Public Health of the Ministry of Health, with data up to July 20th, the cholera outbreak, affecting five provinces in the centre and north of the country, has caused 64 people and infected 4,420 since October 17th, of which 3,590 were in the northern province of Nampula, with 40 deaths.

More than 1.7 million people were vaccinated against cholera in May in Nampula province, corresponding to 99% of the initial target, health authorities previously announced.

According to data presented by Geraldino Avalinho, head of public health at the Nampula Provincial Health Service, the forecast indicated the vaccination of 1,758,335 people aged one year and older in four districts, with the campaign reaching 1,744,737 people in the target group from May 17th to 21st.

Source: Lusa