Maternal and newborn health is a top priority of the Government of Timor-Leste. Efforts
have resulted in impressive gains in expanding maternal and newborn services. However,
despite a sustained commitment and the achievement of the Millennium Development
Goals number 5 (MDG5), maternal and newborn health remains a challenge for the
population of the country.
To better understand why this is so, the Ministry of Health undertook a National Emergency
Obstetric Care Assessment in 2008. This was the first study of this type in Timor-Leste.
The evidence generated through the assessment was to provide a baseline for monitoring
and evaluating emergency obstetric and newborn care across Timor-Leste and the
implementation of strategic EmOC interventions across the country.
It is now seven years since the first EmOC assessment was undertaken and Emergency
Obstetric and Newborn Care interventions were rolled out across the country through
a Basic Service Package for Primary Health Care and Hospitals in an effort to achieve
the MDGs 4 and 5 by improved service delivery. The findings in this report will help the
Ministry of Health to review progress and assist policy makers and program managers to
design more effective plans and strategies for maternal and newborn mortality reduction
in Timor-Leste.
We would like to thank UNFPA, technical team, core group, data collection team, WHO,
UNICEF and all development partners and all resource persons who were involved in
conducting this assessment. Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to all DSMs,
Head of Institutions and relevant health staff without whose support, commitment and
cooperation the assessment would not have been accomplished.