Linking Food and Resource Access to Medical Care Access in Maputo, Mozambique

Frayne, Bruce Sunu Naomi

Background: Rapid urbanization coupled with evolving threats from both communicable and non-communicable diseases underscore the vulnerability of urban healthcare systems. Building resilient healthcare systems and increasing access to socioeconomic resources is key for achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). The city of Maputo (Mozambique) provides a helpful case study for the analysis of this situation. Methods: This investigation analyzes household survey data to determine the predictors of consistent household medical care access (SDG 3) in Maputo. Using those identified predictors, the study identifies key segments of households in Maputo that are vulnerable to disease given their inconsistent access to medical care. Results: The results indicate that households with inconsistent medical care access (SDG 3) also suffer from severe food insecurity (SDG 2) and inconsistent access to a cash income (SDG 8), water (SDG 6), and electricity (SDG 7). Conclusions: This study identifies challenges to the achievement of SDG 3 in Maputo, where households that are likely to need medical care under the strain of impoverished living conditions are also the least likely to have consistent access to needed medical care.