Project profile — Support to COVID-19 Prevention, Surveillance and Containment in Mozambique

• Mozambique (100.00%)

• Health: COVID-19 control (12264) (100.00%)

• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (principal objective)
• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (significant objective)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Nutrition (significant objective)
• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)

This project aims to improve Mozambique’s public health sector knowledge, capacity, and surge response for forecasting/modelling, testing, diagnosis, contact tracing, and public health policy formulation to reduce mortality and morbidity from the COVID-19 pandemic. This project provides technical assistance, seconded staff and financial assistance to Mozambique’s National Health Institute to support COVID-19 prevention and containment. Project activities include: (1) modelling and forecasting disease; (2) procuring testing kits and establishing “walk-thru” testing centres in high-risk communities with COVID-19 outbreaks; (3) providing infection control/prevention by augmenting contact tracing, transporting test samples for processing and rapid diagnostics (the latter when available); and (4) providing health worker support, including training and personal protective equipment.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased effectiveness of the Government of Mozambique's response with sensitivity to vulnerable populations, including women who bear a unique burden in the face of the pandemic; and (2) improved responsiveness and gender-sensitivity of health system planning and policies adequately adapted to the Mozambican context, ensuring the Mozambique government is responsive to the evolving pandemic with the latest evidence and technology to best serve its population and high-risk groups.

Results achieved as of December 2023 include: (1) Mozambique recorded 233,731 positive cases. They reported only 388 new cases since March 27, 2023, showing a significant slowdown in new infections; (2) administrated over 34 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in Mozambique, fully vaccinating 68% of the population and exceeded its target for priority groups; (3) successfully expanded testing, with all provinces offering both types of COVID-19 tests. They conducted 1,454,915 tests. They also adopted 2 new quick tests after successful evaluations; (4) established 8 walk-thru centers in busy areas, providing testing at 3 main transport hubs and 4 open-air markets. They tested 34,888 people, 55% women. These centers also helped identify 6,394 people with high-risk health conditions. The Ministry of Health found these centers effective and plans to use them for future community testing; and (5) the National Institute of Health (INS) expanded its public health labs and sentinel sites (places that monitor disease) to 7 provinces.

• Proactive disclosure