Acting Minister of Health and Vice-Minister of Health Bonifácio Mau Coli dos Reis and Commander Admiral John C. Aquilino of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) launched a Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) at the Guido Valadares National Hospital on February 2nd, 2023.
This Mobile Intensive Care Unit is the result of a contribution by the United States Indo-Pacific Command in cooperation with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The new mobile unit has nine beds and modern health technology to provide high-quality health care. With the new facilities, the Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares now has 150% more capacity to respond to emergency care.
Vice-Minister Bonifácio dos Reis expressed “on behalf of the Ministry of Health and the 8th Constitutional Government, a heartfelt and profound gratitude for the support and cooperation that has been offered by the Government of the United States of America, through the American Embassy in Timor-Leste, together with USINDOPACOM, which, in collaboration with USAID, provided this Mobile ICU”.
Vice-Minister stated that “the Ministry of Health considers and recognises the importance that collaboration and cooperation with development partners, all stakeholders, United Nations agencies, as donor agencies, has in achieving the vision, mission and goals that have been defined in the second edition of the National Health Sector Strategic Development Plan for the period 2020 to 2030.”
“With this support, with this space and equipment, we could raise the bar for our emergency care, and our health care personnel in this unit can deliver their work even more professionally,” added Bonifácio dos Reis.
Thomas Daley, Chargé d’Affaires of the United States Embassy in Timor-Leste and Zema Semunegus, USAID Mission Director in Timor-Leste, among other guests, also participated in the launching ceremony.