MSF scales up medical response in Mueda as thousands are displaced again in northern Mozambique

MSF teams have strengthened activities in three camps for displaced people (Eduardo Mondlane, Nandimba and Lianda) in Mueda, where we have run a medical project since 2021. We have also started activities in Nanili, a community near the border between Mueda and Mocímboa da Praia districts, to address the increased needs following recent arrivals. MSF health promoters and community health workers are sensitising communities on hygiene and disease prevention and ensuring that the referral system for medical care remains functional.

Between 3 and 15 October, MSF teams visited 970 families across the three camps in Mueda, referring 315 people in need of medical care to Mueda District Hospital or the nearest health centre. MSF teams also ran more than 400 group sensitisation sessions, which were attended by over 4,500 people.

Many of those now arriving in Mueda have been forced to flee their homes several times during the eight years of conflict in Cabo Delgado, where hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced. Several have previously lived in these same camps. Often people decide to flee because they no longer feel protected or safe in their communities. One family of five told MSF they walked nearly 100 kilometres to the interior of the province from the coastal town of Mocímboa da Praia after hearing widespread rumours of an impending attack.

“We had no money, so we came here on foot. It took us about three days. This is the second time we’ve come to [seek refuge in] Mueda,” recounts Saidia Albino, who has settled in Eduardo Mondlane displacement camp with his wife and three children. “The first time we left because the fighting was getting worse in Mocímboa da Praia [in 2022], and now the war has started again. Everyone was leaving; there was no reason to stay. For now, if I can find work, it’s better to try to build a life here.”

In response to the psychological impact of repeated displacement and prolonged insecurity, MSF is also conducting mental health and psychosocial support activities in Mueda, complementing ongoing community-based interventions. Anxiety, psychosomatic and post-traumatic symptoms are the most frequently reported conditions in the camps. So far, MSF teams have conducted 65 mental health group sessions with over 600 participants.

Living conditions in the camps are also deteriorating, particularly due to limited access to safe water and sanitation. The situation is expected to worsen with the imminent onset of the rainy season and an increased risk of waterborne diseases. “Even if we don’t see many acute medical emergencies at the moment, health needs persist. The local health system is unable to cope with the continuous arrival of people seeking safety, which puts pressure on already stretched resources,” says Pedro Basílio, MSF outreach supervisor.

In recent months Cabo Delgado has experienced an upsurge of violence, with attacks and armed incursions taking place in several districts such as Mocímboa da Praia, Balama, Montepuez and Chiúre, as well as in the neighboring provinces of Nampula and Niassa.

In late September MSF was forced to temporarily suspend activities in Mocímboa da Praia town due to insecurity. As well as Mueda, MSF teams continue to run medical projects in Palma and Macomia, which have not been spared by the ongoing surge in violence. MSF teams are also assessing the areas of Mueda and Mocímboa da Praia districts where significant pockets of displaced people have recently arrived.