𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭-𝐔𝐍𝐅𝐏𝐀 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐆𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞.

𝐄𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐚 𝟐𝟑/𝟎𝟒/𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: The Vice-Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs, Minister of Rural Development and Community Housing, Eng. Mariano ASSANAMI Sabino, together with the Vice Minister for Institutional Strengthening of Health, José dos Reis Magno, with Vice Minister for the Operationalization of Hospitals , Flávio Brandão, and representatives of UNFPA in Timor-Leste, inaugurated this morning the Basic Obstetric to mother and babies of Emergency Care Center at the Gleno Health Center, Ermera.

The construction of these facilities was supported by the Government of Australia and implemented by UNFPA with the main objective to reducing maternal for mother and babies mortality in Timor-Leste.

The Vice Prime Minister, on behalf of the IX Constitutional Government, expressed his gratitude to the people of Australia and UNFPA for their continued support over the years towards for the development of Timor-Leste.

According to data recorded in the country, malnutrition affects around 47% of the youth population and the government is concerned and continues to collaborate with partners to combat malnutrition, which represents a significant threat to the future of children.

The Basic Emergency Obstetric for mother and babies Care Center opened,today needs ongoing care, therefore the government needs to allocate funds for ongoing maintenance, ensuring that the facilities remain in adequate condition to provide care to mothers and babies.

Doctors already with training and experience need to guarantee the quality of professional care. Health professionals are also asked to promote to people the importance of a nutritious and healthy diet, encouraging the population to grow crops in their backyards, on their land and thus be able to have a higher quality diet.

The authorities of the municipality of Ermera were also challenged to collaborate with all entities in the fight against malnutrition, being able to raise awareness among the population on a daily basis about this problem.

According to maternal and child health data from 2000 to 2022, Timor-Leste has made progress across health indicators, including a maternal and child mortality rate that has been reduced in less than five years, although it has not yet reached the established goal.

The influence on the maternal and child mortality rate also depends greatly on health services, which are accessible, of quality and that health infrastructures are adequate.

However, the most important factor is the quality of human resources, which must be well qualified to provide assistance in accordance with established standards, guaranteeing quality average and hospital assistance.

The vision of Ministry of Health in Timor-Leste is to improve obstetric for mother and babies care includes:

• No mother or baby should die due to lack of preventative maternal and newborn health care or late care.

• All mothers must give birth in healthcare facilities/hospitals attended by qualified personnel.

• Mothers must have access to emergency obstetric for mother and babies services in less than two hours.

• Provision of obstetric for mother and babies emergency services with care available 24 hours a day.

𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐕𝐏𝐌-𝐌𝐂𝐀𝐒-𝐌𝐃𝐑𝐇𝐂