Dili, March 13, 2023 – More than 6,000 mothers at risk of dying during childbirth to benefit from newly launched Basic Emergency and Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) center in Atauro municipality inaugurated by H.E. Dr. Odete Maria Freitas Belo, Minister of Health in Timor-Leste on March 09.
Though the Government of Timor-Leste has improved provision of healthcare services since its independence, healthcare services are limited especially in hard-to-reach areas like Atauro – where most of the roads are impassable.
Timor-Leste has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in Southeast Asia of 195/100,000 live births and 30 per 1,000 live births infant mortality rate.
Investing in BEmONC centers will help secure the health and lives of pregnant women in need of urgent and quality maternal and reproductive health care services – not only in Atauro but in all municipalities.
“The launch of the BEmONC center in Atauro is an important progress towards achieving zero maternal deaths in Timor-Leste.
“The country needs 32 more BEmONC centers to reach all Timorese women who need these essential services for safe delivery and survival of newborns, stated UNFPA’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Björn Andersson.
According to Demographic Health Survey 2016 (DHS 2016), only 48 percent of births were assisted by a skilled attendant and 32 percent occurred within a health facility.
UNFPA is working closely with the Ministry of Health to ensure that the maternity units at the municipality level have essential equipment and supplies – including skilled and competent healthcare providers to manage life-threatening complications during pregnancy, delivery and after delivery.
In her opening remarks, H.E. Dr. Odete Maria Freitas Belo, Minister of Health, reiterated the Government’s commitment to reduce maternal deaths and the Ministry of Health’s continuous collaboration with UNFPA to build the capacity of healthcare workers.
“I thank UNFPA for the continuous partnership to improve quality of healthcare services – particularly training of midwives and doctors in Timor-Leste and spearheading the establishment of BEmONC centers in Timor-Leste,” said Dr. Odete Maria Freitas.
With the support of the Australian Government through the Partnership for Human Development (PHD), UNFPA has trained over 142 healthcare workers in Timor-Leste – mostly doctors and midwives – from hospitals and community health centers (CHCs); especially those in hard to reach areas.
For more information, contact:
Suleiman Okoth
Communications and Programme Support Specialist
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Timor-Leste
Mobile: +67075169796, Email; okoth@unfpa.org
