In 2019, two severe cyclones hit Mozambique. Occurring six weeks apart, they affected 1.7 million people, caused fatalities, and destroyed health facilities, civil infrastructure, and crops. The degradation of sanitation facilities following the cyclones led to a cholera epidemic in the country, with 7,053 cases and 8 deaths reported. Following this, Mozambique conducted an After Action Review (AAR) to document lessons from the response to the two events and to better prepare for future natural disasters and emergencies. The AAR was used to critically analyze the health sector’s contribution to the multisectoral response and coordination during and after the cyclones. The AAR recommended priority actions in leadership and partner coordination, information planning and management, health operations and technical expertise, and support for operations in logistics, finance and administration. It also showed that the country had a robust floodwarning system that mitigated the effect of the storms to some extent.
Area of work
Evidence and Analytics for Health Security (EHS)
EHS Theme
International Health Regulations capacity building for emergency preparedness
Published
Jun 08, 2021
Country
Mozambique
Region
African Region