Respiratory diseases kill over 1,500 in Mozambique in two years – Watch

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Respiratory diseases kill over 1,500 in Mozambique in two years – Watch

7:00 CAT | 04 Jul 2017

The country’s central hospitals of Maputo, Beira and Nampula in the south, center and north of Mozambique collectively recorded 101,484 cases of patients with respiratory diseases that resulted in 1,597 deaths in the period 2013-15. APA can also report on Monday, quoting Mozambique’s Minister of Health, Nazira Abdula, that at the level of provincial hospitals, statistics indicate that 19,170 patients were hospitalised, resulting in 818 deaths.

The minister released the data while addressing the opening session of the 1st Congress of the Portuguese Speaking Respiratory Association (ARELP), in Maputo on Monday.

The event brought together experts from several countries to deepen knowledge about respiratory pathologies, but also to build ties and partnerships in the various areas of common knowledge.

“Like many other countries, respiratory pathologies are prominent in the Mozambican epidemiological mosaic, and we want to draw particular attention to the burden of bronchial asthma and tuberculosis,” said Abdula.

Regarding tuberculosis, the minister said in the biennial period 2013-15, there were a total of 27,948 patients admitted to general hospitals 887of whom died, with tuberculosis and bronchopneumonia being the cause of morbidity and mortality.

Tuberculosis, according to the minister, is one of the biggest causes of morbidity among millions of people each year, and has become the deadliest disease among people living with HIV worldwide.

The official also pointed out that Mozambique is one of the 30 countries that, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), have a high burden of tuberculosis, TB-HIV / AIDS co-infection and drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Estimates indicate that the country registers 154,000 new cases of the disease every year, a situation that is worrying and, therefore, the government declared tuberculosis a public health problem.

Nazira Abdula said the challenges are different and there is a need to improve the capacity for diagnosis and management of lung diseases; investing in research aimed at pulmonary pathologies; improve control of HIV-TB co-infection, as well as to strengthen the involvement of communities in the control of these diseases.

According to the minister, it is on the road to the challenges that the two-day meeting expects to identify innovative solutions to problems related to respiratory diseases, targeting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and improving the health status of the population of the countries involved.

The meeting is being attended by scientists, specialists, researchers and health professionals from Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde, Brazil and Portugal, among others.

Delegates are discussing subjects such as Therapeutic Strategies in Exacerbation of Asthma in Adult; Challenges in the Treatment of Uncontrolled Asthma; Overview of Pediatric Asthma in African Countries; Asthma in Children and Adults – How to Control?

Challenges in the Treatment of Cancer in HIV Positive HIV, Impact of Occupational Pulmonary Diseases on Agricultural and Agro industrial Workers are also on the agenda.