The humanitarian crisis in northern Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province has reached a new tipping point, with nearly 22,000 people displaced in a single week amid escalating violence and a collapsing health system, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) warned on Wednesday.
The surge in displacement occurred in late September, marking one of the most intense waves since the conflict began in 2017.
More than 100,000 people have been uprooted in 2025 alone, bringing the total number of displaced to over 1.3 million – many of them forced to flee multiple times.
This is the first time all 17 districts of Cabo Delgado have been directly affected, said Xavier Créach, UNHCR’s representative in Mozambique.
“Families are reaching their limit,” Creach said, noting that some who once hosted the displaced are now fleeing themselves.
The violence, driven by armed groups locally known as al-Shabaab (unrelated to the Somali militia), has intensified sharply this year, with over 500 incidents recorded through August.
Civilians continue to be targeted in raids involving killings, abductions, and sexual violence.
Children face the threat of forced recruitment, while women and girls are especially vulnerable during routine tasks such as collecting water or firewood.
Older persons and those with disabilities often remain trapped in conflict zones.
The humanitarian fallout is compounded by the near collapse of health services across the province.
According to the World Health Organisation-led response, 60 per cent of health facilities in the worst-hit districts are non-functional due to insecurity, looting, and staff displacement.
In Mocímboa da Praia, the only hospital is operating with less than 10 percent of its staff – mostly volunteers struggling to keep emergency and maternity services running.
Aid agencies warn of rising disease risks as the rainy season begins, with malaria and cholera cases expected to surge.
The health sector’s annual response plan is only 11 percent funded, leaving critical shortages of essential medicines.
UNHCR also faces severe funding gaps, having received just $66 million of the $352 million required for its Mozambique operations this year.
The crisis, now entering its eighth year, remains one of southern Africa’s most complex emergencies, exacerbated by climate shocks and chronic underfunding.
Humanitarian actors continue to call for urgent international support to prevent further deterioration.
JN/APA