Maputo Central Hospital resumes oncology services after fire
95 percent of patient records were saved from the blaze, allowing treatment to restart.
The Hospital Central de Maputo (HCM), Mozambique's largest health facility, has resumed oncology patient care in temporary facilities after a fire on Sunday. Clinical activity has moved to the Dermatology Service building. Hospital officials reported that 95% of oncology patient records were preserved because they were stored in the building's basement, away from the fire and water used to extinguish it.
Clinical Director Dércio Fernandes stated that all admitted patients were safely transferred without injury. 10 patients were moved to the Dermatology ward, while 12 were discharged. On Monday, the service saw 60 patients for consultations, 12 for emergencies, and 20 for outpatient chemotherapy. However, these chemotherapy patients had to wait for new records to be reconstituted as their daily treatment files were destroyed.
The hospital is working to reconstitute affected patient files to resume outpatient chemotherapy administration as soon as possible. Treatment chairs have been moved to the Dermatology Service building to continue daily care for 30 to 40 patients. Fernandes confirmed that nursing, psychology, and medical teams are mobilized to ensure patient follow-up despite the difficulties of service relocation and reorganization.
Why it mattersOncology patients in Maputo can continue their chemotherapy treatments and receive consultations and psychological support after a fire disrupted services.