Organization

During September 1999-January 2000, WHO, together with UNICEF, acted as a "Temporary Ministry of Health" coordinating health sector activities in Timor-Leste. ICRC and fifteen International NGOs, together with military medical teams from the International Force for Timor-Leste (INTERFET), provided curative services to the general population.

During that interim period, WHO coordinated the important role played by NGOs in providing health care services to the people.

An Interim Health Authority was formed in February 2000, followed by the creation of the Division of Health Services in July 2000. The Ministry of Health came into being in September 2001.

The general objectives of the Ministry of Health are to:

• Reduce levels of maternal and infant mortality;
• Reduce the incidence of Illness and death due to preventable communicable and noncommunicable diseases, including HIV / AIDS;
• Improve the nutritional status of mothers and children;
• Improve reproductive health in Timor-Leste;
• Ensure that all people have access to health services;
• Ensure the delivery of a minimum health care package at all levels of service;
• Collaborate with all stakeholders in the health sector to achieve national goals for health;
• Ensure that sufficient and adequate training for health professionals is undertaken to meet national requirements;
• Regulate the employment of all health professionals to ensure minimum standards of professional practice;
  
  Provide sufficient referral and tertiary health care services, including laboratory support services, to ensure that referral cases are treated effectively;
• Improve the organization and management systems in the health sector;
• Increase women's access, both to health information and to quality health services;
• Increase the availability of mental and dental health services, and
• Contribute to the improvement of occupational and environmental health in Timor-leste.

As per the details provided in the attached organizational chart (Annex I), the Ministry of Health consists of:

• Minister for Health
• Vice-Minister for Health
• Director-General of Health
• Division of Health Services Delivery
• Division of Administration, Finance, and logistics Services
• Division of Health Policy and Planning
• District Health Services

In addition to the three divisions of the Ministry of Health, the following offices, hospitals and health institutions are being directly supervised by the Director-General:

(l) District Liaison Services
(2) legal Office
(3) Office of Protocol and Communication
(4) National Hospital and Referral Hospitals
(5) National laboratory
(6) National Centre for Health Education and Training (NCHET).
(7) Centre for Drugs Supply and Medical Equipment

The areas of responsibility of the three divisions in the Ministry of Health are given below:

Division of Health Services Delivery:

(1) Noncommunicable diseases
(2) Communicable diseases and environmental health
(3) Health promotion
(4) Maternal and child health
(5) Laboratory services and blood transfusion
(6) Pharmaceutical services

Division of Administration, Finance and Logistic Services:

(1) Finance
(2) Administration
(3) Logistics and procurement

Division of Health Policy and Planning:

(1) Health policy development
(2) Planning
(3) Human resources
(4) Health information system, monitoring and evaluation