By Staff Reporter
HARARE — Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has expanded its emergency migration response to Nyamapanda, a key Zimbabwe-Mozambique border crossing, as increasing numbers of Malawians pass through the country on their journey home from South Africa.
Thousands of migrants have left South Africa following targeted violence by anti-migrant groups after an unofficial June 30 deadline imposed by some groups calling for undocumented migrants to leave the country.
Pressure on migrants has continued, with anti-migrant groups maintaining campaigns to push foreign nationals out of South Africa.
MSF initially launched its emergency response at the Beitbridge Reception Centre, supporting people returning to Zimbabwe and addressing their immediate humanitarian and medical needs.
Movement patterns have since shifted, prompting the organisation to extend its operations to Nyamapanda, in north-eastern Zimbabwe, which connects the country with Mozambique and serves as an important transit point for people travelling onwards to Malawi.
“Many of the people arriving at Nyamapanda are exhausted and under a lot of stress after a long and difficult journey, and some are dealing with emotional trauma,” MSF emergency coordinator Hebert Mutubuki said.
“We are also seeing people with chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, as well as skin conditions.
“Being here allows us to provide immediate physical and emotional support, care for those who are sick, and help ensure their care continues,” he added.
Mutubuki said basic necessities such as food, water and a safe place to rest were also important in ensuring migrants were treated with dignity.
“Just as importantly, a hot meal, water and a safe place to rest help ensure that people are treated with dignity,” he said.
Reaching Nyamapanda does not necessarily mean migrants have reached their final destination, Mutubuki said, as some Malawians travel long distances before arriving at the border.
“Some Malawians travel long distances before arriving at Nyamapanda.
“When they reach the border post late in the day, they may find the crossing has closed for the night and have to wait until the following day to continue their journey,” he said.
Mutubuki added: “People who may already have spent days travelling can face additional challenges, including finding somewhere safe to sleep, accessing water, sanitation and food.”
MSF has established a temporary reception centre at Nyamapanda to address some of those immediate needs.
Migrants using the facility can rest overnight, access washing facilities and receive a meal while waiting to continue their journey to Malawi.
More than 80,000 Malawians have passed through the Nyamapanda reception centre, highlighting the scale of movement through the border crossing and the humanitarian needs arising along the route.
MSF has also introduced water, sanitation and hygiene interventions at the temporary centre, including the construction of toilets and washing areas to improve hygiene conditions.
Rehabilitation work has further strengthened infrastructure supporting the facility, including restoration and improvement of water supply connections and renovation of clinic infrastructure.
Additional works have been carried out to improve the centre’s capacity to provide basic humanitarian and health services.
MSF teams have spent the past two months responding to urgent health, protection and dignity needs in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, as well as in the South Africa-Zimbabwe border towns of Musina and Beitbridge.
