According to data from Buikarin Health Post, in Bahalarauin Village, Viqueque Municipality, the health post currently receives up to 200 patients each day for treatment.
Head of Buikarin Health Post, Abílio Gomes, said that most patients seeking treatment suffer from Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) and diarrhoea, which are linked to environmental conditions, particularly dust and rain.
“Many patients come with symptoms such as coughing, runny noses and fever. This is linked to the high level of dust during the day. On the other hand, cases of diarrhoea also increase because of changes in the weather, when the days are very hot and there is heavy rain at night,” Abílio Gomes said at his office at Buikarin Health Post.
According to him, the combination of dust and rain causes these two illnesses to occur at the same time, placing significant pressure on health services at the local level and particularly affecting vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly.
On the other hand, Bahalarauin Village Chief, Angelo Pinto, said that infrastructure problems, particularly the poor condition of the roads, are one factor that aggravates the dust problem in the area.
“The poor condition of the roads creates a lot of dust and ultimately directly affects the health of communities, including children. This problem needs an immediate solution, which is to repair the roads,” Village Chief Pinto said.
He added that if the road infrastructure is improved, it will help reduce dust and at the same time reduce the risk of illnesses that the community is currently facing.
A community member from Kaninuk Hamlet (suku), Bahalarauin Village, Francisca Guterres, confirmed the impact they face in their daily lives. According to her, during the day the dust becomes so severe that it enters their homes, making children more vulnerable to illness.
“We suffer a lot from the dust, particularly when the weather is hot. Many of our children have coughs and fevers. When the rain comes, another problem arises because the water is not clean, so some children also get diarrhoea,” community member Francisca Guterres said.
She called on the authorities to pay serious attention to the road and drainage problems because, according to her, these problems not only affect transportation but also directly affect the health of the community.
The community and local leaders hope that the government will prioritise improvements to basic infrastructure such as roads and drainage, so that dust can be reduced, and better living conditions can be ensured for the population in the area.
