Maria de Lurdes Joaquim- Preventive Medicine and Environmental Sanitation Technician at the Mangunde
More than 12,700 children and adolescents, aged 0 to 17, from remote communities surrounding the missions of Estaquinha, Mangunde, and Barada were vaccinated during the implementation of the COHEMO Project. Funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) with support from Caritas Austria, this 26 month project ensured immunisation against diseases such as tetanus, hepatitis, whooping cough, meningitis, and diphtheria, with a special focus on children aged 0 to 5.
Impact of the COHEMO Project
Without the COHEMO Project implemented by ESMABAMA, many children in these regions would remain vulnerable to preventable diseases, some of which can lead to severe complications or even death. “Without this project, it would have been extremely difficult to reach these communities and vaccinate a significant number of children,” explained Maria de Lurdes Joaquim, a Preventive Medicine and Environmental Sanitation Technician at the Mangunde Health Centre.
road to Manguenhe
Mobile brigades played a crucial role in delivering vaccines to children who would otherwise have no access to immunisation due to the vast distances between their communities and health centres. In Chibabava district areas such as Chiquirinhe (22 km from the health centre), Maguenhe (19 km), and Djambe (where a river must be crossed to reach the health centre), travel is a major challenge, with slippery and eroded roads , filled with craters, making it difficult to use bicycles or other alternative transport.
Challenges and the Continuation of Vaccination Efforts
Maria de Lurdes highlighted the importance of continued doses to ensure the effectiveness of immunisation. “For example, in the case of polio, five doses are required to guarantee full protection. If a child misses doses, they risk not developing sufficient immunity,” she warned. However, maintaining consistent vaccinations has been difficult, as mothers do not always take their children to health centres for follow-up doses.
Food insecurity has also led many families to prioritise work in the fields over visits to health centres. In the Chibabava region, hunger has reached critical levels due to a lack of rainfall between October and February, forcing people to focus on agricultural production or seek temporary work in exchange for food or money. Only after getting some food or income to buy food (survival), they will be able to go to the health centre.
With the termination of the COHEMO Project, there is a significant risk of a decline in vaccination rates, increasing the likelihood of disease outbreaks. Mobile brigades continue to operate but face challenges due to a lack of resources for transport and fuel. During the project, these costs were covered, including financial incentives for healthcare professionals.
Voices of Beneficiary Mothers
All the mothers acknowledged the positive impact of the project and expressed concern about the future, fearing that reduced frequency of the brigades will make access to vaccines more difficult. However, they assured that, following the awareness campaigns led by COHEMO activists, they are now more aware of the importance of vaccination and will make an effort to take their children to the health centre whenever necessary.
The Role of Men in Children's Healthcare
In rural areas, it is common for only women to accompany children to health centres. Maria de Lurdes observed that few men take part in this process: “Here in the community, many men believe that taking children to the health centre is exclusively a woman’s responsibility. I have seen sick women making a huge effort to take their children for vaccinations and only then do they go to the consultation they need. But this is a behavioural change that happens gradually.”
Among household chores, agricultural activities, care and education of their children, women play a crucial role in the well-being of families in the communities. These are strong women who do everything in their power to ensure the best for their families.
The COHEMO Project demonstrated that well-structured public health interventions can have a significant impact on remote communities, ensuring access to vaccinations and preventing serious diseases.
