Mozambique Hit By Cyclone Amid Pandemic
Photos courtesy of HAI
On January 23rd, the central Mozambique city of Beira and its surrounding region was battered by a third cyclone in less than two years.
With winds over 100 mph, Cyclone Eloise destroyed critical healthcare facilities, and left 8,000 people displaced.
Nhaconjo Health Center workers clean up damage wrought by Cyclone Eloise in Beira
Mozambique and neighboring countries are also in the midst of a Covid-19 surge.
“What’s frustrating is that health facilities rehabilitated after Idai are damaged right now."
-Dr. Isaías Ramiro, Mozambique country Director for Health Alliance International
In addition to Covid-19, the country is also trying to avert cholera and other waterborne disease outbreaks, as occurred following Cyclones Idai and Kenneth in 2019.
Working with Dr. Ayesha Mahmud of UC Berkeley and Rebecca Kahn of Harvard, Direct Relief created a predictive application that models the risk of cholera.
Direct Relief also responded to Cyclone Eloise via a $50,000 grant that was requested by HAI. Support comes atop of $5.2 million in aid shipped to Mozambique since Cyclone Idai made landfall.
Of that $5.2M, $1.5M included PPE and other medical supplies from Covid Action Fund for Africa.