Alliance for Health participates in a working visit in Nampula
From 8 to 12 August 2022 the Alliance for Health, represented by its Coordinator, Violeta Bila, was present in Nampula, on a working visit under the campaign on Obstetric Humanization.
It was an intense and very productive working visit. The Alliance for Health was accompanied by: Saber Nascer, represented by its Executive Director, Camila Fanheiro; Potenciar Programme, represented by Aquilcia Joaquim, Collaborative Initiatives Manager; and HOPEM network, represented by Inocência Manejo.
Lasting these days of visiting the city of Nampula, several meetings were held with civil society organizations, NGOs, and state institutions.
The Alliance for Health, Saber Nascer, the Potenciar Programme, and PLASOC-Nampula (Platform of Nampula Civil Society Organizations) met with the Pathfinder International representative in Nampula, Natasha Langa, with the aim of presenting the campaign on obstetric humanization and identifying synergies. The same meeting was held with the ICAP representative in Nampula, Dr Manuel Boene, and with the Provincial Nucleus to Combat HIV/AIDS, represented by its Provincial Executive Secretary, Sara Samuel Jane.
The province of Nampula accounts for about 36% of health indicators, which is why it makes perfect sense to conduct the campaign in Nampula.
From these meetings, it can be assumed as a critical point that everyone looks at the campaign as necessary in the province and an opportunity to continue to work on the issue of the humanization of services in the health sector. Dr Natasha (Pathfinder) indicates that “the province of Nampula accounts for about 36% of health indicators, which is why it makes perfect sense to conduct the campaign in Nampula.” And for Sara Jane, “there are still challenges in access to health services, linked to social and gender inequalities; Need for women to ask for permission to mother -in -law and/or husband to start with HIV treatment and even PTV.” She also indicates that there are still “structural barriers related to huge lines and lack of providers, as well as the lack of privacy in some sanitary units, resulting from the type of existing infrastructures.”
In addition to these meetings, the Alliance for Health, Saber Nascer and the HOPEM network, participated in a radio program on Rádio Encontro, to talk about the campaign and the seminar that would take place on August 12, the last day of the province visit. In this radio program, it was presented the campaign and its objectives; the role of men in the maternity process, and the elimination of illicit charges were also addressed by the participants. Listeners who had the opportunity to interact with the representatives of the aforementioned organizations warned that they were in Nampula numerous cases of human rights violations in hospitals and, at the same time, illicit charges and that there is still much fear among citizens to denounce.
On August 11, a visit to the Nampula Provincial Attorney's Office took place, with the aim of presenting the campaign and seeking synergies and support from the sector for the success of the entire intervention. Simultaneously, the meeting with civil society organizations and members of PLASOC-Nampula was held, and a debate on the campaign was held, as well as a presentation of the Alliance for Health, with the intention of creating a local nucleus in this province.
There is obstetric violence in Nampula and it is necessary to greatly improve the provision of services.
On the last day of the visit, a seminar was held in which the Alliance for Health, Saber Nascer and HOPEM network were part of the first panel. The Coordinator of the Alliance for Health, Violeta Bila, presented the network, and its objectives, what has actually been done, and invited all organizations and citizens present to apply to be members as well. She then led the debate to stigma and discrimination in maternal and child health services. In turn, the Executive Director of Saber Nascer, Camila Fanheiro, presented the campaign of this entity on Obstetric Humanization. And the representative of the HOPEM network, Inocência Manejo, addressed the role of men in combating obstetric violence, a theme that guided the seminar.
In general, all the participants were unanimous in assuming that there is obstetric violence in Nampula and that it is necessary to greatly improve the provision of services.
