Government of Timor-Leste

The Vice Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs and Minister for Rural Development and Community Housing, Mariano Assanami Sabino, led a meeting with the Minister of Health, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture, the Rector of the National University of Timor Lorosa’e (UNTL), and representatives of the Cuban Medical Brigade in Timor-Leste, to discuss the gradual transition of the General Medicine Course. The meeting occurred at the Government Palace in Dili on March 18^th, 2024. 

Speaking to the press, UNTL's Magnificent Rector, João Soares Martins, explained that the main objective of the meeting with the Vice Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs, was to coordinate the gradual transition of the General Medicine Course from the Cuban Brigade to UNTL.

“Since 2005, the Cuban Brigade has supported the implementation of the General Medicine Course and has trained 1,155 Timorese doctors distributed throughout the territory. Now is the right time to move forward with this transition process”, said the UNTL Rector. 

During the meeting, the Vice Prime Minister instructed UNTL to prepare the necessary conditions for the transfer of human resources and for adapting the curriculum and infrastructure of the Faculty of Medicine.

The Faculty of Medicine currently offers courses in Nursing, General Medicine, Obstetrics, Nutrition, Pharmacy and Medical Laboratory Sciences. The initial focus of this transition is on the General Medicine course, for which the State of Timor-Leste has partnered with professors from the Republic of Cuba, who have been responsible for teaching and training doctors in the country. This collaboration also includes nine Timorese teachers trained in Cuba, who have contributed to teaching with the Cuban doctors. Gradually, the Government hopes that Timorese doctors will conduct medical training with the support of the Cuban Brigade.

The Vice Prime Minister stressed the importance of this transition process and announced the establishment of an interministerial team, including the UNTL and the Cuban Brigade, to make the necessary preparations.

Mariano Assanami Sabino said, “We have three important points to consider: the preparation of the curriculum, the management and professionalisation of human resources, and the adequacy of infrastructure”.

The Vice Prime Minister also stressed the importance of infrastructure and the need to train quality human resources, especially with Timor-Leste's involvement in international organisations.