Mozambique has secured US$17 million in international support from the Pandemic Fund to strengthen its epidemic preparedness and response systems as the country continues to battle a worsening cholera outbreak, officials said.
The agreement was reached during the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva and will help reinforce Mozambique’s capacity to prevent, detect and respond to future public health emergencies, according to the country’s Health Ministry.
The Pandemic Fund, established after the COVID-19 pandemic to improve global health security, said the financing reflects Mozambique’s progress in strengthening its disease surveillance and emergency response infrastructure.
The funding comes at a critical moment for the southern African nation, which is grappling with a cholera outbreak that has already caused more than 7,300 infections and at least 82 deaths since September 2025.
Mozambique’s Health Ministry said the outbreak has been exacerbated by recurring extreme weather events, which increase the spread of waterborne diseases and strain already vulnerable sanitation systems.
Since the beginning of the outbreak, authorities have recorded a case fatality rate of about 1.1 percent, according to official health bulletins.
The new financing is expected to support laboratory expansion, emergency coordination systems and disease surveillance improvements across the country.
The Pandemic Fund (Pandemic Fund), which coordinates international financing for pandemic preparedness, said the initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen resilience in low- and middle-income countries facing recurring health shocks.
More Read
Mozambique has in recent years implemented a series of health sector reforms aimed at improving emergency readiness, including a national health security action plan, expanded laboratory networks across provinces, and the creation of a central emergency operations centre.
A public health school has also been established to help train health professionals and improve outbreak response capacity.
For 2026, the government has allocated 47.3 billion meticais (about $741.7 million) to the health sector, representing 8.8 percent of national spending.
Priorities include expanding access to essential medicines, scaling up vaccination programmes — including malaria immunisation efforts — and training specialist medical staff.
Authorities also plan to establish a new institute focused on non-communicable diseases, as part of a broader shift toward strengthening long-term health system resilience.
Health officials said the cholera response remains urgent, with efforts focused on containment, water sanitation improvements and rapid treatment deployment in affected communities.
More Read
The World Health Organization (World Health Organization) has previously warned that cholera outbreaks in southern Africa are often linked to climate shocks, weak infrastructure and limited access to clean water.
Mozambique’s government said the new funding will complement ongoing national efforts to launch a cholera elimination strategy, which is expected to be formally introduced at a future global health meeting.
Officials stressed that while international support is crucial, sustained domestic investment in water, sanitation and health systems will be key to preventing future outbreaks.
