MSF suspends medical services in Mocímboa da Praia amid escalating violence in Northern Mozambique

The surge of violence in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province has forced Doctors Without Borders (MSF) to suspend all medical activities in Mocímboa da Praia, raising grave concerns for the thousands of people who depend on humanitarian aid in the conflict-stricken region.

Following armed attacks earlier this month, MSF announced that services at the District Rural Hospital, including the emergency room, maternity ward, lifesaving treatment, referral system, mental health support, and outreach activities in surrounding areas, have been halted since 26 September. Some patients in critical need have been transferred to facilities in Pemba and Mueda.

“We are deeply concerned about the escalating violence and its direct impact on every aspect of people’s lives, including access to healthcare,” said Víctor García Leonor, MSF head of operations for Mozambique. “Hundreds of thousands of people are in dire need of medical and humanitarian assistance in Cabo Delgado. However, insecurity continually cuts them off from reaching it. This results in preventable deaths and suffering.”

Mocímboa da Praia, with an estimated population of up to 200,000, has seen renewed violence since early September, when armed groups brutally attacked civilians, looted goods, and threatened communities. The violence reached neighbourhoods just kilometres from the town centre, forcing several thousand residents to flee.

The recent attacks are among the most violent since 2017, when Mocímboa da Praia became one of the first targets at the onset of Cabo Delgado’s insurgency. Over the years, the conflict has displaced nearly 430,000 people across the region, many of whom have fled multiple times in search of safety.

The health system, already weakened by years of violence and natural disasters, is now under immense pressure. MSF has repeatedly been forced to suspend operations in parts of Cabo Delgado in 2025 due to insecurity, sometimes for weeks at a time.

“MSF remains committed to standing by the people of Cabo Delgado and to resume activities in Mocímboa da Praia as soon as we obtain guarantees that our staff will be able to work in a safe manner,” García Leonor emphasised.

With humanitarian funding cuts and ongoing conflict deepening the crisis, MSF has urged all armed actors to ensure the protection of civilians, medical facilities, and humanitarian workers. “Safe and unhindered access to healthcare is vital for communities caught in conflict, and their freedom of movement should be guaranteed when they are seeking protection,” García Leonor said.