Mozambique hospitals extort women in labour: Rights groups

Those who could not afford the fees faced neglect and mistreatment, the groups claimed. Photo: Unsplash/Flavia Gava

Mozambique rights groups have accused public hospitals of extortion and forcing pregnant women to pay to give birth, services that are supposed to be free.

A group of 40 civil society organisations grouped under the Women's Observatory this week said they had received 16 reports of abuse and extortion from three hospitals in and around the capital Maputo since the start of 2021.