Members of Mozambique’s Council of Ministers (Cabinet) will donate a minimum of one day’s salary each to support the restoration of oncology services at Maputo Central Hospital, which were affected by a fire on Sunday, the Government announced on Tuesday.
Government spokesperson Inocêncio Impissa announced the decision, taken at an ordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers, noting that it comes as investigations are under way to establish the cause of the incident and assessments of the damage caused by the fire at the country’s only cancer treatment centre continue.
“Members of the Council of Ministers have decided to donate a minimum of one day’s salary per member in support of efforts to restore oncology services at Maputo Central Hospital,” Impissa said.
The fire broke out on Sunday in the Oncology Department of Maputo Central Hospital, where 22 patients were admitted. They were evacuated in time, with no casualties reported, according to information released by the Government.
According to the Cabinet spokesperson, the Government continues to monitor the assessment of the consequences of the fire in order to determine what is needed to restore the unit.
“What is being done is to assess the situation, look at the full range of needs and determine what types of intervention are necessary to ensure the services can be restored,” Impissa explained.
He added that there is not yet a financial estimate for the reconstruction of the affected services, as the assessment is still at an early stage. “The first step is to identify the causes and the damage, including taking stock of the equipment that was destroyed.”
According to Impissa, preliminary assessments indicate that not all the equipment was destroyed by the flames.
He also highlighted the mobilisation of citizens and institutions following the fire, thanking them for the support provided from the earliest moments of the incident.
“The Government thanks the wave of national and international solidarity it has received from the very first moments,” he said.
He warned, however, of attempted fraud through pages and contacts falsely associated with the solidarity campaign, urging people to channel any support exclusively through the official channels announced by the Ministry of Health.
Regarding patient care, Impissa assured that alternatives had been found to ensure continuity of treatment.
Of the 22 patients admitted at the time of the fire, 12 have already been discharged, while the remaining patients continue to receive medical care.
Meanwhile, the oncology services continue to attend to around 90 outpatients and consultation patients every day.
Following the fire, the Mozambican Government set up a support unit for cancer patients to accommodate those requiring hospital admission, as well as outpatients who travel to the hospital to receive treatment and return home on the same day.
A patient assistance office was also established for patients and family members affected by the situation, Health Minister Ussene Isse previously said. Its contact details were to be announced at a later date.
During the fire, the intervention of firefighters prevented the flames from spreading to other areas, particularly the ground floor, where the radiotherapy department is located.
The fire did not reach the lower section of the underground shelter housing the linear accelerator (LINAC). However, radiotherapy equipment is sensitive to heat and energy, and specialists are continuing to assess the damage.
