Mozambique

We are in Pemba, in the Cabo Delgado region, in Palma, one of its 17 districts, where the Eni Foundation has worked to improve the healthcare services offered by local facilities. In Pemba, malaria, diarrhoea, pneumonia, malnutrition and HIV are the main causes of infant mortality. The direct beneficiaries of the initiative we promoted were pregnant women and newborns, but the healthcare staff of the obstetrics, gynaecology and neonatology departments of the reference Health Centre and the six Health Centres that offered emergency obstetric services also benefited. Indirectly, all the inhabitants of the Palma district, who can now use improved health services, have benefited from our programme. The project lasted five years, from 2013 to 2017, and cost € 5 million and 230 thousand.

In the district of Palma, the number of facilities and qualified healthcare staff is below the standards set out by the Mozambican Ministry of Health, and the quality of reproductive and child health is below the national average.

Our project began by improving the main health services in the Palma district. A suite of operating theatres was built at Palma Health Centre for emergency obstetric care and supplied with radiology, ultrasound and lab equipment to improve the accuracy of diagnoses. A delivery house was built to accommodate pregnant women from the most remote and difficult to access areas. In addition, we provided an off-road vehicle to offer various mobile clinical services and monitor outlying healthcare centres.

Our infrastructure work was followed up with a training programme. During 2014, various training courses were held at Palma Health Centre dedicated to medical, nursing, technical and administrative staff throughout the district.

To support the Mozambican authorities in reducing neonatal, infant and maternal mortality in the Palma district by improving the quality of medical services for mothers and children and their access to them.

The Eni Foundation financed and managed the project, in collaboration with:

• the Mozambican Ministry of Health (MISAU), the Province of Capo Delgado Provincial Health Administration, the District Health Office Administration and the management of the Palma District Health Centre
• Doctors with Africa (CUAMM), an NGO that is deeply rooted in the area and has a long-standing and accredited presence in Mozambique (working there since 1978).

The activity was carried out by working closely with the provincial and district health authorities and under the high patronage of the First Lady’s office.

Another part of our healthcare project in Mozambique was Theatre So Good, devised and supported by the Eni Foundation, coordinated by Jacopo Fo and Bruno Patierno and created with the support of the NGO Doctors with Africa (CUAMM).

Presenting both a play and a source of health information, the actors on stage sought to pass on good hygiene, health and nutritional practices to the local population in an alternative and innovative way: the show looked at caring for newborn children, washing hands frequently and the best way to handle food and drinking water at home. Seven Mozambican actors performed, 32 people were involved in the project and 100 Mozambican actors auditioned. For more information, visit the project's website, which documents the casting and the start of rehearsals and contains biographies of the actors, a web series and a travel diary.