DREAM: Fighting HIV, Cervical Cancer, and Malnutrition in Beira

The project ‘DREAM: Fighting HIV, Cervical Cancer, and Child Malnutrition in Beira’ has the overall objective of “Ensuring health and well-being for all ages in Mozambique,” contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 3 of the 2030 Agenda.

Through this project, free and quality services for HIV and related co-morbidities will be provided at the DREAM Polivalente Center in Beira. Services for women’s health will be improved, and dedicated nutritional support will be ensured for vulnerable children. This project will reach approximately 7,000 beneficiaries, including children at risk of malnutrition, refugees in the refugee camps of Sofala Province, and patients of the DREAM center, who will benefit from free and quality health protection services for 12 months.

One of the main health challenges is the fight against the HIV epidemic and its related co-morbidities, including numerous non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and hypertension. While also being one of the main co-infections in people living with HIV (PLWH), HPV deserves special attention, considering that Mozambique ranks among the top three countries in the world for cervical cancer mortality and incidence. Additionally, due to the increase in food prices related to the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, malnutrition, especially in children, has become a prioritized issue.

Despite recent efforts, this situation is exacerbated by the lack of adequately equipped healthcare personnel and facilities. The most vulnerable segments of the population, including displaced persons living in refugee camps, HIV-positive individuals, women, and children, often bear the brunt of deficiencies in the local healthcare system. Among these groups, lower access and adherence to therapies are observed, leading to higher prevalence and mortality rates related to HIV and its co-morbidities.

In light of this, three main needs have been identified in the fight against HIV:

1. Integration of HIV services with NCD healthcare services, with specific focus on HPV.
2. Nutritional support for children living in vulnerable conditions.
3. Improvement of capacities in the healthcare sector, including equipment and personnel training.

The specific objective of the project is to ensure the right to health for the most vulnerable segments of Beira’s population by combating HIV, cervical cancer, and child malnutrition.