DÍLI, 09 April 2026 (TATOLI) — The Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion (MoSSI) and the Ministry of Health (MoH) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Dili on April 7 to implement the Conditional Mother’s Grant for Maternal and Child Nutrition program (BdMK-SANUTRIO).”
The initiative adopts an intersectoral approach, linking health services with social protection mechanisms. It includes conditional support designed to encourage access to prenatal and postnatal care, vaccinations, nutritional monitoring, and community awareness campaigns promoting healthy practices.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Health Minister emphasized that the memorandum represents a key step toward enhancing institutional collaboration to improve nutrition and social protection services for the most vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children up to three years old. She highlighted the importance of care across the lifecycle, from reproductive age through early childhood development.
The minister also acknowledged the contribution of international partners, particularly in supporting health services such as prenatal and postnatal consultations, exclusive breastfeeding promotion, nutritional assessments, and joint community campaigns.
At the same event, the Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion noted that the memorandum formalizes the government’s commitment to investing in maternal and child health and nutrition, with a focus on families in vulnerable situations, while reinforcing integration between social protection and health systems.
The program, backed by international partners, includes the signing of additional technical agreements to support its operational implementation. Institutional representatives, officials, technical staff, and cooperation partners attended the ceremony.
The program, known as BdMK-SANUTRIO, will be implemented in phases, aiming to improve maternal and child nutrition indicators and contribute to sustainable development outcomes in Timor-Leste.
TATOLI
