Government of Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste is hosting the World Health Organization (WHO) Southeast Asia Regional Technical Meeting on Climate Change and Health from February 25^th to 28^th 2025, This high-level event brings together Government leaders, experts and international partners to discuss urgent measures to strengthen health systems, making them more resilient and environmentally sustainable. 

The inaugural session was chaired by the Vice Prime Minister and Minister Coordinator for Social Affairs, Mariano Assanami Sabino, who emphasized the seriousness of the impact of climate change on health. “Climate change is not just an environmental issue; it is a health crisis. For a small island nation like Timor-Leste, it represents an existential threat and a daily reality. It is imperative to act quickly to ensure a resilient, low-carbon health system”, he said 

The meeting focuses on climate finance for health, exploring ways of accessing international funds to mitigate the effects of climate change on the sector. The WHO Representative in Timor-Leste, Arvind Mathur, emphasized the importance of this funding, which he considered to be “essential for protecting people's health and building sustainable health systems. However, the sector faces several challenges in accessing these funds, including a lack of information about funding opportunities”. 

The opening session also featured a video message from the WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, Saima Wazed, who reinforced the WHO's commitment to supporting countries in the region in mobilizing resources. “SEARO (South - East Asia Regional Office) is committed to helping countries access the resources they need to turn plans into action”, she said. 

The Vice-Minister for the Operationalization of Hospitals, Flávio Brandão, stressed that this “event is an invaluable opportunity to strengthen capacities and mobilize technical and financial resources in a coordinated manner, enabling an effective response to the challenges we face”.