DILI, 17 may 2023 (TATOLI)- The Australian Embassy in Timor-Leste and the United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) signed financial support of 4 million Australian dollars to implement the Vaccine Access and Health Security Initiative (VASHI) in Timor-Leste.
Australian Embassy Chargé Affairs, Caitlin Wilson said during the covid-19, many children did not have access to vaccination. Therefore, Australia provides funding to ensure all children can have a vaccination to strengthen children’s immunity against various diseases.
“It is thrilling momentum for the Australian government to help Timorese children and adolescents by providing the covid-19 vaccine and polio immunization. Australia is providing financial support to help the Timorese government to ensure children should not be affected by many kinds of diseases,’’ Australian Embassy Chargé Affairs, Caitlin Wilson said of her remarks, in the UN house, Caicoli, this Wednesday.
She added, in addition, Australia is committed to cooperating with the partners UNICEF, WHO, and WVTL to provide technical assistance to help the Minister of Health staff to provide quality data collection and training.
UNICEF Representative to Timor-Leste, Bilal Durrani said UNICEF is grateful to get financial support from the government of Australia through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
He said it is a new grant to ensure Timor-Leste is set to further strengthen the health system to reach the last mile of covid-19 vaccination, integrated covid-19 vaccination into routine immunization services, and support the introduction of new vaccines such as human papillomavirus (HPV).
“Covid-19 disrupt health services delivery for more than three years. It is through the leadership of the Minister of Health and the unwavering support of development partners such as the government of Australia, that the country has introduced systems to help us respond and recover from the outbreak,’’ Mr. Bilal Aurang Zeb Durrani said
Furthermore, the funding support will enhance data quality by strengthening the capacity of monitoring and evaluation officers on data analysis and reporting as well as research o understand the drivers to access vaccines, the mechanisms to attain sustainability to the cold chain, and the environmental impact of covid-19 vaccination.
Meanwhile, the VASHI project will be implemented for 14 months, in 13 municipalities, including Especial Administrative Zone, of Oecusse Ambeno (RAEOA).
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia Borges
