Major fire at Mozambique’s only oncology centre

A fire hit the oncology department of Maputo Central Hospital on Sunday. The 22 patients hospitalised there were evacuated without injuries, and the Health Minister described the incident as a setback for the country.

The fire broke out on the morning of Sunday, 1 November, inside the building housing the oncology department of Maputo Central Hospital (HCM) and spread outside, affecting the upper part of the structure. The information was confirmed at the scene by hospital sources, who said that firefighters had managed to stop the flames from spreading before they reached the ground-floor area, where the radiotherapy department is located.

However, a statement issued this Sunday by Maputo Central Hospital reports that “a large-scale fire destroyed the Oncology and Radiotherapy Service of the country’s largest health unit – HCM.”

READ: Mozambique’s only radiotherapy machine remains out of service – minister

HCM is the only public facility in Mozambique to provide radiotherapy, a service that had already been interrupted for 15 months due to equipment failure and only resumed in August 2025. The construction and equipping of the oncology section cost US$17 million, according to data previously released by the Mozambique Information Agency.

At least 22 patients were evacuated from the ward and transferred to another section of the hospital, where they are expected to continue receiving medical care.

Health Minister Ussene Isse, who was at the scene during the morning, made no attempt to conceal the gravity of the situation.

Quoted by the communication teams present, Minister Isse said the fire represented a “major setback” for the country, given ongoing efforts to expand coverage of cancer treatment services.

“We managed to evacuate all the patients, thank God no one lost their life,” Ussene Isse added, stressing that the immediate priority was to ensure continuity of treatment while damage was assessed and a report on the incident prepared.

Prime Minister Benvinda Levi also visited HCM during the morning. The head of government said the Executive was monitoring the situation and that evacuating the patients had been the first emergency measure taken. Addressing the media, Levi appealed for solidarity from Mozambican society:

“We want to take this opportunity to appeal to all Mozambican society to make our contribution together,” she said, calling for support to be mobilised so that services could resume full operation and patients could continue to access treatment.

First Lady Gueta Chapo also expressed sadness at the damage caused by the fire, saying that the destruction affected essential infrastructure in a country facing a shortage of cancer treatment services and facilities. She appealed for solidarity from citizens, partners and other entities to support the hospital’s recovery.

The authorities have not yet provided an estimate of the damage or the cause of the fire, which will be investigated. The Government said it was working with the relevant entities to coordinate the response, establish the circumstances of the incident and minimise its impact, prioritising patient safety and the resumption of oncology services.

The coincidence of dates did not go unnoticed by those following cancer-related issues in the country: the fire broke out on the first day of Blue November, a campaign dedicated to raising awareness of male cancer, just days after the end of Pink October.