Illnesses which require more complex diagnostics or therapy are transferred to Quelimane with a referral or, unfortunately, are sent directly back home, because the effort and the costs required cannot be managed by the family. Cases of (severe) trauma or complications in childbirth with the need of emergency interventions like a C-section or medical intensive care for new-borns must get to Quelimane as quickly as possible as there is no surgical care, no intensive care and no radiology department available on Inhassunge. This race against time can hardly be won between 17:00 and 06:00, because the boats for transfer to Quelimane do not run during this time.
Part of our vision is to let the mobile clinics and consultations in the health posts flow into a transport system that provides swift and safe passage for those injured or whose life is in danger. A viable transport system of converted 4×4 vehicles, ambulance boats and helicopters is not a reality yet. However, we would like to introduce this part of the vision as a future project to you. Once these modes of transport exist, it will pave the way to extend mobile clinics onto other islands and peninsulas that are inaccessible by road.
