In Zambézia province, with more than six million inhabitants, there is a worrying shortage of specialist doctors, with only 16 such Mozambican professionals to meet the health needs of the country's second-largest province. This number is considered insufficient given the health challenges the region faces, including serious problems such as the lack of haemodialysis, radiotherapy and oncology services.
The situation was highlighted at a gala dinner in honour of Mozambican Doctors' Day, where Denise Chatima, reading the doctors' message, questioned whether this number of specialists is adequate for such a vast population. Napoleão Viola, president of the Medical Association of Mozambique, stressed the urgent need to increase the number of specialist doctors, citing a World Health Organization report that places Mozambique in a state of emergency with regard to the availability of health personnel.
The picture is made worse by delays in paying overtime and uncertainty over the hiring of new doctors since, although the country trains more than 300 doctors a year, fewer than 30 are expected to be hired this year across the whole country. Gilberto Manhiça, president of the Mozambican Medical Association (Ordem dos Médicos), called for respect and dignity in the profession, criticising dishonest practices and demanding improvements in working conditions for doctors.
The Secretary of State in Zambézia, Cristina Mafumo, tried to reassure the professionals, stating that the Government's Five-Year Programme includes plans to hire more qualified human resources for the health sector. However, significant challenges persist that call for a more robust and immediate response to prevent the population's health from remaining compromised.
