Mozambique’s Health Minister, Ussene Isse, has called on private investors to fund a new radiotherapy machine and support domestic production of medicines and surgical supplies, aiming to reduce the country’s dependence on imports and overseas medical treatment at a time when the country’s only radiotherapy unit remains out of service.

Isse set out these priorities on Wednesday, 28 October, at the opening of the second edition of the Mozambique Medical Expo in Maputo, calling for closer collaboration between the state, the private sector, and development partners to expand the supply of specialised healthcare.

According to Isse, efforts to repair the existing radiotherapy equipment have been hampered by the unavailability of spare parts that have since been discontinued by the manufacturer. The government is seeking to accelerate the procurement of a new machine with private sector support.

The breakdown has forced patients to seek treatment abroad, imposing costs on both families and the state. The unit is installed at the Central Hospital of Maputo and has experienced repeated failures. In November 2025, the minister had announced that the parts required for the repair had arrived in the capital and that the service would be restored shortly, according to Lusa.

Local Production to Reduce External Dependence

A further priority is attracting investment in the manufacture of medicines and hospital consumables. Quoted by the newspaper O País, Isse pointed to supply disruptions during the Covid-19 pandemic as an illustration of the healthcare system’s vulnerability to shocks in international markets.

The minister also highlighted delays in external procurement, noting that medicines ordered in February 2025 only began to arrive in August. In his assessment, producing a portion of these goods domestically would accelerate the restocking of hospitals.

Greater Capacity to Treat Patients Locally

Isse further advocated for strengthening diagnostic services and specialised treatments to reduce the transfer of patients abroad. According to the minister, ‘four or five diseases’ are responsible for the majority of such transfers, though the report does not identify the specific conditions concerned.

The appeal was directed at hospital, laboratory, and pharmaceutical managers, among other stakeholders, who were called upon to collaborate in expanding the country’s healthcare capacity and domestic production.