DILI, 25 november 2024 (TATOLI) – Timor-Leste’s second Joint External Evaluation (JEE) concluded successfully on Friday, with the team of 22 international experts commending the country’s progress in public health preparedness while outlining key recommendations for further improvement. Last conducted in 2018, the JEE assesses a country’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to health emergencies under the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005).
Over the week, the team conducted site assessments across key locations, including Nicolau Lobato Airport, Dili Port, Tibar Port, HNGV, national and animal laboratories, INSP-TL, Dili Municipal Health Services, and various health centers. The evaluation spanned 19 technical areas and 56 indicators, focusing on disease surveillance, laboratory systems, emergency response, food safety, zoonotic diseases, biosafety and biosecurity, antimicrobial resistance, and more. The experts reviewed protocols, analyzed documents, and engaged with local representatives.
Preliminary recommendations highlighted the need to adopt a One Health approach, strengthen under-resourced areas like veterinary and environmental health, and boost intersectoral coordination through clear investments and accountability. Experts commended Timor-Leste’s significant progress across 19 technical areas. They noted that while good practices exist, some required institutionalization. They emphasized turning the tremendous successes of Covid-19 into lasting systems and policies. The team praised Timor-Leste for placing doctors at every health facility and advancing gender representation in leadership roles.
José dos Reis Magno, Vice Minister of Institutional Strengthening, called the findings from JEE “invaluable” during the debriefing on Friday. “It provides us with a clear roadmap to strengthen our health security capacity, aligning with both national priorities and international obligations,” he said. The Vice Minister added, “Our goal is not just compliance or meeting international standards but to build a resilient health system,”.
Arvind Mathur, WHO Representative to Timor-Leste, called the JEE a “milestone” in strengthening IHR capacities. Calling health security, a shared responsibility, Dr Mathur urged for the active engagement of all sectors, from agriculture and environment to customs, immigration, border control, and most critically, the communities. He stressed on the importance of translating recommendations into policies and programs for meaningful change, while pledging WHO’s support for implementation.
Karen Sliter, team Leader for the JEE mission, said that comparing scores across JEEs or countries isn’t valid and counter-indicating since the tool has evolved and raised the bar—this JEE uses version 3, updated with lessons from COVID-19. “It’s important to remember that scores alone don’t improve health security,” she said.
Reuben Samuel, co-lead of the JEE team, explained that the JEE’s consensus-driven approach ensures the host country’s full involvement in agreeing on scores, priority actions, and the final report. Each technical area is rated from 1 (no capacity) to 5 (sustainable capacity). “The draft report will be shared with the country for consultation to ensure it accurately reflects their capacity,” he said.
The JEE team provided three to five priority actions for each technical area, which will serve as the foundation for developing national action plan for the next five years.
Journalist: Jose Belarmino de Sa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
