Noncommunicable diseases, injuries and mental health

Situation analysis

One of the concerns of Mozambique heath authorities is to reverse the current high trend of non-communicable diseases. For this, national authorities have defined new policies on some non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as mental health, injuries and violence, as well as new strategies for chronic NCDs, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cervix, breast and prostate cancers.

The inclusion of Road Traffic Injury and Violence Prevention as a priority in the Strategic Plan for the Health Sector demonstrates that injury is considered a public health problem in Mozambique.

The impact of NCDs on health is high on the development agenda of Mozambique, in collaboration with partners. That impact can be envisaged through the data below:

• Injuries account for 20-25% of visits to the emergency department of the Maputo Central Hospital; over 50% of the injury patients seen here are admitted to hospital;
• Road traffic injuries and violence are the main causes of adult's injury-related deaths;
• Prevalence of high blood pressure in Mozambique is 33.2%, and the incidence of stroke is 1.47/1000; in Maputo, stroke occurs at a rate of 1.7 cases per day, with 40% of lethality;
• Diabetes prevalence in the country is 1.4%; men are the most affected.

WHO Mozambique country office is strengthening its role in the provision of technical support to the government, aimed at reversing NCDs increase. For this reason, the partnership and trust between WHO and most partners, including the Ministry of Heath and civil society have increased. WHO country office also collaborates with other Ministries such as the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Transport.

Challenges, achievements and next steps

Challenges

Improving data management so as to accurately describe the type and circumstances leading to NCDs.

Achievements

• The Government has approved the Strategic Plan for Mental Health, developed in 2006.
• Implementation of a nationwide STEPS survey on the prevalence of chronic NCDs and their risk factors.
• Population-based Cancer Registry running in Beira City since 2005.

Next steps

• Approval of the Strategic Plan for Injury and Violence Prevention;
• Approval of the Strategic Plan for chronic NCDs;
• Conclusion of the multi-sectoral Plan for Road Safety, by the MoH, in collaboration with the National Institute of Road Traffic (INAV), with WHO technical assistance.