Government of Timor-Leste

The Ministry of Health (MoH), through the National Directorate of Public Health and the Control Services of non-transmittable Chronicle Diseases, in cooperation with World Health Organization (WHO), organized, on September 19^th and 20^th, at the National Health Institute, a seminar to discuss the national strategy for prevention and control of non-transmittable chronicle diseases.

According to the WHO’s representative, Jorge Mário Luna, non-transmittable diseases are very well-known in Southeast Asia, reaching 7 million people per year, mostly of working age.

Such diseases as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory chronicle diseases are considered as non-transmittable chronicle diseases. Many of those diseases come from tobacco abuse, diets without medical observation, physical efforts beyond muscular energy and alcohol abuse.

WHO launched, in 2008, the Action Plan for Prevention and Control of non-transmittable Diseases in order to face their upcoming risks and reduce their effect.

The Ministry of Health’s Director General, José dos Reis Magno, spoke about the high number of people suffering from this sort of diseases in Timor-Leste in which are also included diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria and dengue.

In Timor-Leste, according to the 2003-2009’s health survey, on the number of non-transmittable chronicle diseases, tobacco is highlighted as the major cause of disease in adults, form 15 to 19 years old.

As a way to reduce the mortality rate, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with international agencies and partners, analyzed the situation, taking into account the socioeconomic impact in Timor-Leste, gathering ideas in order to prepare the prevention’s action plan and the control at a multisector level. control levelral r to prepare the action plan of  tners, analised the situatobacco is highlighted as the major cause of disease