following challenges: women and children, nutrition, malaria, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections (HIV/AIDS), epidemiology monitoring, neglected diseases, non-communicable diseases, environmental health and sanitation, health promotion and role of communities, mental health, oral health, sports medicine, human resources, hospital care, medication and medical articles, health infrastructure, health information system, traditional medicine, gender approach to health programs, and health research. 218.Mozambique’s general health situation shows that on the one hand poverty is the cause of major health problems. On the other hand, health influences the socioeconomic development of the country given the high cost involved with the fight and prevention of diseases like malaria. A total of 5 million cases of malaria were reported in 2008, but by 2010 there had been a steady decline with about 3 million cases reported. These figures confirm a steady decline in the number of malaria cases over the past few years thanks to the introduction of effective preventive programs. The major investment made in this area is showing returns in human capital. There has been a decline in the number of sick people and deaths, hence less suffering and absenteeism while productivity in schools and in services has increased. One of the biggest health constraints is lack of knowledge about the prevention of diseases and good nutrition. The high illiteracy rate is detrimental to the dissemination of information. The high maternal mortality rate (358/100,000) partly reflects these constraints. 219.This scenario underlines the need to adhere to health strategies and policies, the main goal being to strengthen the means of solving of key health problems in the country by developing programs aimed at preventing and fighting diseases. It will also serve to ensure the strengthening of human, technical and financial resources as a means of providing information, counseling, professional training and access to complementary diagnosis and therapy services. 220.There are health indicators illustrative of major developments at national level, namely in rural areas and in provinces where infrastructure destroyed during the war of destabilization had to be rehabilitated. Since the post-war period there have been major accomplishments, namely: (i) resettlement of people, (ii) massive rehabilitation of health units and (iii) training and redeployment of health personnel. The expansion of the health system is an ongoing project which gives priority to the rehabilitation and reopening of health units, including the introduction of specialized medical and surgical services. As a whole, there has been a marked improvement in health indicators as stipulated in the Government’s Five-Year Plan, namely outpatient consultations, child immunization and infant mortality. Leprosy, once a public health problem, was eradicated in 2008. 221.Regarding the expansion of the health network, it is worth mentioning the rehabilitation and reopening of some 500 units, especially in the primary health care sector, over the past 5 years (up to 2010). These units include central hospitals. Combined Report from the Republic of Mozambique to the ACHPR, 1999-2010 39