IN THE FIELD

Mothers and Children: Our Priority at Every Level

Africa, Mozambique
Training in Africa For mothers and children
Despite progress in development, Mozambique’s health indicators remain highly critical. The average number of children per woman is 5.2, the median age of the population is just 17.3 years, and life expectancy ranges between 57 and 59 years. Maternal mortality stands at 127 per 100,000 live births, under-five mortality at 77 per 1,000, and neonatal mortality at 49 per 1,000 live births.
In Beira, Sofala Province, we work at the Central Hospital, particularly in the paediatric and neonatal wards. It is a large hospital with over 800 beds, handling more than 6,000 deliveries each year. We care for mothers and children through the daily work of specialist doctors and residents committed to responding to patients’ needs. Mothers and children are also at the centre of our work across 17 health centres in the surrounding area where we support healthcare service through vaccinations, antenatal care, and nutritional screening. Our commitment extends beyond Beira. In Montepuez, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, we work both at the hospital and across 10 health centres, supporting the most vulnerable. We are also active in the provinces of Tete and Zambezia, strengthening care where it is needed most.  

In Beira, we work to care for mothers and children.

  • For mothers and children
    This intervention contributes to strengthening maternal and neonatal health services.
  • Training in Africa
    We mentor medical students from the nearby Catholic University of Mozambique, supporting their clinical training so they can become skilled and competent professionals.
Caring for mothers and children means supporting safe deliveries, ensuring care for newborns during their first 1,000 days of life, and treating childhood illnesses. In Mozambique, we do this at every level of the health system—from villages to health centres and up to major hospitals. This requires motivated and skilled staff, medicines and medical supplies, and strong coordination in managing activities.