Pillars of strength

Overview

Cyclone Idai made local and international headlines in March 2019 when it made landfall in Mozambique. The storm itself razed buildings, but the subsequent flooding also cut the area off from road and communication networks. Local health heroes had to act fast to re-establish health services, save lives and protect the valuable data and information that would help the recovery effort.

The second in our series of stories of change focuses on Mozambique in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai. It explains how an innovative embedded research approach has improved data collection, empowered local health workers and managers and helped build resilience to respond to health emergencies. The story mixes text, videos and interactive graphics to give a detailed look at the implementation of a multi-year research project – Integrated District Evidence to Action (IDEAs) programme – in the Sofala province.