DILI, 17 March 2025 (TATOLI) – The National Institute of Public Health (INSP-TL), with the support of the Australian Government, organized a training on cervical cancer screening and management for 15 health professionals. The training, which is being held in Caicoli, Dili, will continue until March 26.
The cervical cancer screening training aimed to equip the 15 health professionals with the necessary skills and knowledge to perform screenings and identify precancerous lesions.
The Head of the Maternal and Child Health Department, Lúcia Barreto, said that the training will help the healthcare providers enhance their skills and knowledge in delivering cervical screening, which will contribute to improving cervical screening practices in the country.
“Women need to undergo diagnostic tests early so that, if cervical cancer is detected, they can receive treatment at an early stage. That is why we are training these health professionals on cervical cancer screening,” she said.
She added that the Ministry of Health is making efforts to vaccinate all girls aged 9 to 14 across the country against cervical cancer.
On July 19th, 2024, the Government of Timor-Leste, in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi), the Australian Government, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), launched the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to prevent cervical cancer in girls aged 11 to 14.
More than 52,000 girls have already received the first dose of the HPV vaccine against cervical cancer, according to the Ministry of Health.
Annually, an estimated 10 cases of cervical cancer occur for 100,000 women in Timor-Leste, and six women die per 100,000 women due to this cancer. Globally, cervical cancer is among the major causes of cancer mortality in women, with over a quarter of its global burden contributed by developing countries, according to WHO Representative in Timor-Leste, Arvind Mathur.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
