DILI, 28 october 2021 ( TATOLI) – The United Nation Children Emergency Fund ( UNICEF)- the Ministry of Health ( MoH), and the Embassy of Portugal signed a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) to jointly support the National Covid -19 response in Timor -Leste.
Minister of Health Odete Maria Freitas Belo said the objective of the signing of MoU is to realize the supports offered by the Government of Portugal and the UNICEF in response to covid-19.
“The total funding offered by UNICEF and Portugal is $ 125,000, in addition to forty ( 40) oxygen concentrators, over 4,000 coveralls, 12,000 gloves and sanitizers for the safety of health workers treating patients with Covid -19 or providing essential health services,” Odete Maria Freitas Belo told reporters in MoH’s office Cai-‘Coli Dili on Thursday.
She added that oxygen is critical to saving lives during the COVID -19 pandemic and the provision of these oxygen concentrators and other medical supplies would support the MoH to treat those who are critically ill from the disease and continuation of essential health services.
At the same place the ambassador of Portugal to Timor – Leste, José Pedro Machado Viera, said, although the health sector is not central in the Portugues Cooperation portfolio, firmly anchored in the Education sector, since the beginning of the pandemic which, attentive and close to the national context and its developments, Portugal sought to cooperate with the authorities of Timor – Leste in its fight against the health and socio-economic effect of COVID -19 in Timor – Leste.
Representative of UNICEF in Timor- Leste Bilal Durrani informed the objective of UNICEF is to support the government by providing children and their families access to health care, education, and protection.
“These partnerships are helping us provide the required assistance. We thank the government and the people of Portugal for their support through the Embassy and also through our national committee, both of which are helping bring real change to the lives of children and their families in Timor – Leste,” said Durrani.
Journalist : Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Nelia Borges
