Conclusion

The health problems in Timor-Leste are enormous and include common childhood illnesses, communicable diseases (especially malaria, tuberculosis, Japanese encephalitis and dengue fever), lack of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, reproductive health problems including high maternal mortality, poor and inequitable access to health services, and inadequate management support systems. Communicable diseases account for the majority of deaths followed by noncommunicable diseases, including chronic diseases, and road traffic accidents. The Ministry of Health has achieved some milestones rehabilitating the health system. Still, there are major challenges that need to be met in order to achieve a solid and efficient health system. A conscientious effort is needed to re-establish sustainable health services in Timor-Leste.
While international agencieshave been closely involved in the provision of health services, the people of Timor-Leste are gradually taking over the responsibility for service delivery.

Basic infrastructure and health facilities have been rehabilitated and/or reconstructed at the district and sub-district levels, which are vital for ensuring access to health care for the people. Better health for the Timor-Lesteese is not just an important objective of the rehabilitation and development efforts, it has also become a key driving force for the rehabilitation and participation of the population in directing their own health institutions.

Construction of health posts in remote areas with high levels of demand is planned. The Ministry of Health is actively functioning as a coordinating body with national and international agencies and institutions involved in the development of the health sector in the country.

In order to accelerate the process of providing appropriate health facilities to the people, adequate additional financial assistance and human resources are required. The programme approach of external resources to management has proved to be effective in the context of Timor-Leste. Major problems in the an area of human resources include imbalance in the production, low skills and wrong skill mix among the staff, and inefficient use of existing human resources.There is an urgent need for capacity building of laboratory facilities. The absence of national health professional staff, as medical doctors and staff at managerial levels, is one of the key contraints. Substantial resources are, therefore, needed for training and human resource development.