DILI, 28 october 2022 (TATOLI)– United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) and Drugs Delivery Institution (SAMES) signed an agreement to procure and deliver quality lifesaving sexual and reproductive health commodities.
The agreement was signed between UNFPA Representative in Timor-Leste, Pressia Arifin Cabo, and the Director of SAMES, Santana Martins at the Kampung Alor Dili.
At the signing of the agreement, UNFPA Representative in Timor-Leste, PRESSIA ARIFIN CABO said the agreement was a historical moment for Timor-Leste to show its commitment to working with the UN agency.
“The MoU will allow SAMES to access UNFPA’s product catalog linked to a global supplier network with competitive prices and high-quality commodities. The products available through the network range from sexual and reproductive health commodities, maternal health medicines, diagnostic test kits, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices to emergency reproductive health kits, among others,”
With Timor-Leste having one of the highest maternal mortality rates in Southeast Asia (195 per 100,000 live births) and where family planning needs are still largely unmet, the agreement is a serious commitment of the Government of Timor-Leste to invest in sexual and reproductive health and rights of the Timorese following the Reproductive Health Commodity Security Strategy and the Family Planning Policy, both supported by UNFPA.
Therefore Pressia Arifin-Cabo, considered the agreement will contribute directly to achieving sustainable development goals in Timor-Leste – particularly in ending unmet needs for family planning and ending preventable maternal deaths.
“UNFPA will continue working closely with Timor-Leste Ministry of Health and SAMES for the forecasting and quantification exercises, development of procurement requests, and plan for the in-country distribution of the relevant commodities, to ensure commodities reach the end users and thus abide by the last mile assurance principles,” said Pressia Arifin-Cabo.
However there are some challenges recognized by UNFPA during the procurement process such as market availability of suppliers, delays in the supply chain, transportation issues, ship prices increasing and the government is provided the lowest price and others:” But UNFPA works to take responsibility for procure process and delivery quality,” she said.
Executive director of SAMES, Santana Martins said It takes a long journey to realize this agreement, for the procurement and the delivery of public health products.
“SAMES plays a vital role and the strengthening of the house system in Timor-Leste, through essential medicines and including family planning also reproductive commodities. In preview years, UNFPA has provided significant support to Timor-Leste focused on quality lifesaving sexual and reproductive health commodities, hope UNFPA will continue to support capacity building to SAMES employees on the delivery process to the municipal health post, to ensure all products from expiring and damaged at SAMES warehouse,”
SAMES estimated the budget allocation for the procurement of all health equipment and drugs can be reached at 25 million USD. Thus, the budget for the procurement of sexual and reproductive health commodities is 18 million USD.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia B.
