Medicina Mais Perto: Moçambique (MMP:Mz) is an international volunteering project of AEFML in partnership with Mozambican associations. Its main goal is to take medical and social support to a population with limited access to healthcare.
Our partners:
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Associação Voluntária de Mães de Crianças Carenciadas (AVOMACC)
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DREAM Centre for HIV+ patients (Drug Resource Enhancement against AIDS and Malnutrition)
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Congregation São João Baptista do Fomento
What do we do?
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Health check-ups and consulting for mothers and their children;
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Reference to more specialized centres if needed;
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Lectures about maternal health, HIV/AIDS, family planning, infectious diseases, nutrition, dental health, mental health, household management and human rights;
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Reference for HIV testing;
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Domiciliary visits and help in household management;
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Encouragement concerning school and primary education.
During the last 4 editions, more than 100 children and 70 mothers in need were screened, advised and accompanied; there were about 50 lectures for AVOMACC’s pre-school teachers and other workers, scouts and elderly of the congregation; dozens of HIV tests were done and included follow-up of the results and many home visits were done.
The most recent partnership, Plataforma Makobo, was established in the last edition and focuses in two of its projects: Escolinha Solidária, where we do traditional games and nutritional accompaniment of about 50 children of the Bairro dos Pescadores da Costa do Sol, and Sopa Solidária, with distribution of food in the streets of Maputo, while creating a relationship between volunteers and the target population.
This year we aim, not only at continuing this work by the evaluation of health status and support of these mothers and children’s education, but also at taking medical and social support to a larger number of people in Mozambique, namely populations who are farther away from urban centers.
We consider preventive medicine and education central weapons in order to step forward. In past editions some mothers found out they are HIV+ (in a region where nearly a quarter of the population is HIV+) before they had any symptoms, which allows an early intervention that might save many lives. Screening for severe diseases (e.g.: cancer) and potentially severe diseases (e.g.: malignant hypertension) was done. Several children were taken to the hospital, some HIV+, others with acute diseases.
Much more was done, but you have to believe it when we say that there still is a lot left to do! We want this project to evolve and be sustainable: that is the only way for us to contribute for this community’s sustainable development.
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We need you!
Help us get closer!