Mozambique
Health Alliance International has been working in Mozambique for more than 20 years. We started out in 1987 under the name Mozambique Health Committee to support the rebuilding of central Mozambique's damaged health infrastructure following years of armed conflict.
Our work today includes strengthening the government's primary health care system, and building management and other capacities. We have offices in Maputo (the capital), and in the provinces of Manica and Sofala, where we work closely with district- and provincial-level Ministry of Health officials.
Mozambique's recent history
Mozambique gained its independence from Portugal in 1975, following a decade-long resistance movement headed by FRELIMO (Liberation Front of Mozambique). The new Frelimo government was committed to social justice and equity in access to health care and had an internationally recognized system of primary health care. It also supported the anti-apartheid struggles in Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) and South Africa. Because of this support and Frelimo's ties to the Soviet Union, the apartheid governments of Rhodesia and South Africa funded a proxy war against the progressive government of Mozambique.
This war only came to an end in 1992 after peace talks and a new constitution in Mozambique allowing for greater rights and a multi-party political system.
Since then, Mozambique has struggled to recover economically from the debilitating 17-year war. This process has been significantly hindered by the onslaught of AIDS, structural adjustment programs imposed from abroad, and widespread poverty.
It is in this context that we support the Mozambican Ministry of Health in building a strong and lasting health infrastructure.