A Scoping Review of the Health Impacts of Recurrent Flooding and Displacement in Maputo's Informal Settlements: An African Perspective (2021–2026)

This scoping review systematically maps the contemporary evidence (2021–2026) on the health impacts of recurrent flooding and subsequent displacement for residents of Maputo’s informal settlements. Adhering to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews, it aims to synthesise both direct and indirect health outcomes and identify critical knowledge gaps from an urban African public health perspective. A defined protocol guided searches across five major academic databases and grey literature sources, using explicit keywords and inclusion criteria. The screening and data charting processes followed JBI guidelines to ensure rigour.

The included studies reveal a complex syndemic of health challenges directly linked to flooding events, including drownings, physical injuries, and outbreaks of waterborne diseases like cholera. Crucially, the evidence details profound indirect consequences: recurrent displacement severely disrupts access to healthcare and essential medicines, exacerbates food insecurity and child malnutrition, and intensifies mental health burdens such as post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety disorders. These impacts are systematically compounded by the pre-existing socio-economic vulnerabilities inherent to informal settlements.

This review consolidates evidence to argue that flooding constitutes a critical determinant of health inequality in African cities, extending beyond a mere environmental hazard. The findings underscore an urgent need for integrated, climate-resilient urban health policies. Such policies must prioritise informal settlements, moving beyond short-term emergency response to incorporate long-term adaptation strategies and community-led solutions, both within Mozambique and in comparable urban contexts across the continent.