USAID/Timor-Leste: Improved Health

This USAID strategic objective seeks to improve the health of the Timorese people, especially women and children at greatest risk. Anticipated results include substantial improvements in key health outcomes in the short and medium term.

As the poorest country in Southeast Asia, and one of its least developed, Timor-Leste faces many significant health challenges. Rates of maternal, infant, and child mortality are among the highest in the world. Infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and dengue fever are also endemic. Combating these problems is made more difficult by a weak health care network and low capacity among health service providers.

To achieve its objective of improving the health of the Timorese people, the program focuses its activities in two areas:

increased use of key maternal and child health practices

increased use of effective interventions to reduce the threat of priority infectious diseases.

USAID's Health Program Approaches

Timor-Leste's residents play a central role in improving the nation's health. The USAID program activities focus on:

increasing community and family participation in health care as a key to behavior change and more frequent use of skilled health care providers

fostering a community health network to strengthen links between communities and health centers, which increases demand and impact

strengthening skills among health workers, including district-level maternal-child health district officers, with an emphasis on key family health practices.

Immediate impacts:

1. 120,000 bednets for pregnant females and children under five.

2. Support for extending cold chain for EPI to community level.

3. Establishment of Task Force for Dengue to begin spraying and community mobilization for source reduction.

USAID's program places responsibility for health care within the community first to encourage increasing use of appropriate health care services and family health practices. It also empowers the community as it increases awareness and knowledge and gives individuals and families the tools they need to reduce mortality and morbidity from common illnesses. By focusing on maternal and child health and malaria and other priority infectious diseases, the program targets the largest sector of health needs and thus extends its impact to the greatest number of beneficiaries. This network of community institutions, supported by USAID, helps ensure long-term accessibility to positive health promotion activities.

To help achieve its strategic objective of improved health for Timor-Leste's people, USAID works with several organizations with special skills in this area, including BASICS, ImmunizationBASICS, Family Health International, and Health Alliance International. For its small grants component in Timor-Leste, USAID's implementing partner is Development Alternatives, Inc.