Vice-Minister for Health observes Health in the Family Program in Oe-cusse Ambeno
The Vice-Minister for Health, Ana Isabel Soares, travelled to Oe-cusse Ambeno on the 5th May to closely observe the implementation of the Health in the Family Program and visit the local health centres. During her visit she spoke with administrators, staff and patients at the Tumin Health Post and the Passabe Health Centre.
The Vice-Minister appealed to the President of the Special Administrative Region of Oe-cusse Ambeno (SAROA), Mari Alkatiri, to pay special attention to the Government’s policy on Health and specifically for this region. She asked for the creation of a focal point to enhance communication and coordination between the Ministry of Health and the SAROA.
In her dialogue with local health professionals, Ana Isabel Soares highlighted that “Timor-Leste has only one Ministry of Health” and asked them to “provide a good service to the people”. She clarified that “the law doesn’t separate us, it is a support for us to work based on rules. The law doesn’t say that Oe-cusse Ambeno has its own Ministry for Health. Administration and Finance are separate but the strategy and guidance are from the Ministry of Health”.
The Health in the Family Program has now reached over 94% of Timor-Leste’s households and is transforming primary health care.
