Resposta governamental de Moçambique a pandemia da COVID-19: preparação dos serviços de saúde para o enfrentamento da pandemia.

Abstract

Introduction: Coronavirus - 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread rapidly throughout the countries and regions, which is why the WHO declared it a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Africa was the last continent to be affected by the pandemic, with its first confirmed case on February 14, 2020, in Egypt, of a Chinese citizen. At the time, Italy was already registering its first cases, and weeks later, thousands of deaths began to accumulate, which caused greater fear for Africa, the poorest continent on the planet, which was already facing other epidemics in addition to the underfunding and fragility of its health systems, which would increase mortality from COVID-19, but it didn't happen. Aim: Analyze Mozambique's government preparedness and response to mitigate, control and combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: This is a case study on Mozambique's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, based on an integrative literature review and document analysis. The search was carried out in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, from which 1,350 documents were identified. After reading the titles and abstracts, 47 were shortlisted for full reading, and 21 were included. The documentary search was carried out using the websites of the Government of the Republic of Mozambique, the Ministry of Health, the National Health Institute, the website of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), as well as the most widely circulated media in the country, such as the newspaper O País. Results: The preparation and response plan followed the International Health Regulations. Communication strategies were established in different media, payment of subsidies for three months for the most vulnerable populations, a technical-scientific commission to advise the government, and non-pharmacological measures to prevent and combat the pandemic. The government also drew up a community response plan that involved various community agents such as elementary multipurpose agents, traditional medicine practitioners, community leaders, among others trained to inform about the pandemic, relate and report suspected cases. With 1,316 beds distributed across the country's COVID-19 hospitalisation centers, occupancy reached a maximum of 30%. Epidemiological surveillance had the following components: verification and detection, risk and severity assessment, and epidemic monitoring. Its activities began at the country's points of entry. A National Genomic Surveillance Network was established. Vaccination began in March 2021, following prioritization criteria and the availability of doses. By April 2023, 60% of the population had been vaccinated. The population's access to the vaccine resulted from adherence to the COVAX program and direct purchase. In April/2022, the end of the state of public calamity was announced for COVID-19, with a trend towards a reduction in cases and deaths and a relaxation of measures.