DILI, 13 march 2023 (TATOLI) – The Government of Japan through its Embassy in Timor – Leste, today signed a Grant contract of US$ 401, 4 60 to the Japanese Frontline NGO for improving the Reproductive Maternal Newborn and Child Health (RMNCH) in the Municipality of Ermera.
The Grant contract was signed by the Ambassador of Japan to Timor – Leste, Tetsuya KIMURA, and Yohei KAWAGUCHI, the Country Representative of NGO Frontline, at the Embassy of Japan in Timor – Leste
Ambassador of Japan to Timor – Leste, Tetsuya KIMURA, stated that the signing ceremony today was for the third year of the project. The project is to improve Reproductive Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health.
This project is funded by the Government of Japan under the scheme of Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO projects and projects run by the scheme contain 3 years as a project period.
“The objective of the project is to increase access to the high quality of RMNH service in Ermera municipality through mother’s classes and awareness campaigns to reproductive health care, capacity building on health workers, and RMNCH system development,’’ the Ambassador of Japan Tetsuya KIMURA told reporters at the Embassy of Japan, Pantai Kelapa, Dili on monday .
Ambassador KIMURA explained the first year of the project concentrated on developing a basis for the project activities with experts from Japan and Timor – Leste, including the construction of a maternity building in Guisaruda village, Hatolia, Ermera Municipality.
He added that at the end of the project, first-year pilot training of obstetric ultrasound examination was successfully implemented for 14 health professionals in three sub-municipalities of the municipalities of Ermera with support from the Ministry of Health ( MoH) and the National Institute of Health (INS ). In the second year, mother‘s classes and reproductive health promotions for pregnant women were started in Ermera. In addition to that, the second period of training of obstetric ultrasound trained 12 health professionals.
At the same Place, the Country Director of NGO Frontline Yohei KAWAGUCHI thanked the government for Japan‘s Grant and this year NGO Frontline is going to expand the target areas of the ultrasound training to other areas than Ermera to promote more Timorese women to have the more safe pregnancy and delivery.
“This project will support the awareness campaign on the importance of access to maternal health care centers,’’ he said.
He added though this project 4,000 pregnant women will be able to have access to obstetric ultrasound, more than 35 health workers and Government officials will benefit by capacity building to improve their quality care and by developing the RMNCH health system, more than 100 medical volunteers will gain knowledge for safe pregnancy and childbirth and additional 16,000 community members to be educated through the awareness campaign leading to a reduction in preventable maternal and child mortality.
“ The Government of Japan and Frontline hope that this project will ensure all pregnant women and newborns in Timor – Leste to receive high-quality care during pregnancy delivery and the postpartum and the project will make more bright future of Timor – Leste,’’ he concluded.
Journalist: Camilo de Sousa
Editor: Nelia B.
