Supporting Mozambique's COVID-19 Testing Decentralization Process

The Total-led Mozambique LNG Project delivered in the province of Cabo Delgado, a COVID-19 testing laboratory, with a capacity for 200 tests per day. The handover ceremony took place on July 23, in the presence of the Minister of Health, Armindo Tiago; the State Secretary, Armindo Ngunga; Pemba Governor, Valige Tauabo and other government officials at provincial level.

The act represents a multiform support, exemplified with the delivery of a PCR health laboratory, equipped with office supplies, complete laboratory equipment, reagents, consumables for carrying out 6000 corona virus tests and ventilators.

For the Minister of Health, Armindo Tiago, “The laboratory diagnosis of infections with the new coronavirus is one of the main pillars in the control of the pandemic in the country. The laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19 has been carried out in the country since March 10 of the current year only in Maputo, using the real-time PCR technique.

"When we declared the community transition of the new Corona virus in the city of Pemba, we informed that the capacity for laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19 would be installed in this city in the month of July, and today we have witnessed it," underscored Armindo Tiago.

The laboratory in Pemba will have an immediate impact on the diagnostic response time in suspicious cases, since there will be no need to send samples to Maputo," said Minister Armindo Tiago.

In addition, over the next days, The Total-led Mozambique LNG Project expects to complete the rehabilitation of a 50-bed capacity ward at Pemba Provincial Hospital, dedicated for the isolation of COVID-19 patients. Moreover, Total expects to deliver a tent to be used as an isolation ward for patients with this disease at Palma District Hospital.