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.