DILI, 26 June 2025 (TATOLI) – The National Institute of Pharmacy and Medical Products (INFPM) has said that Timor-Leste urgently needs support from the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen its response to the recent rabies outbreak.
He said INFPM will soon submit a formal request to the WHO for rabies vaccine support. “The proposal is currently being drafted and is expected to be finalized shortly,” said INFPM’s Director of Procurement, Miguel Soares, speaking in Campo Alor, Dili.
When asked about the vaccine shortage, Soares said that only 400 doses of rabies vaccine are currently available in Timor-Leste.
“If the WHO provides vaccines but the supply is insufficient, we will source additional doses through the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF),” he added.
Meanwhile, the National Directorate of Veterinary Services under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Forestry has administered rabies vaccines to 1,575 dogs since January in the municipalities of Bobonaro, Covalima, Dili, Ermera, Liquiçá, and the Special Administrative Region of Oé-Cusse. Since last year, 103 rabies cases in dogs have been reported.
According to the Ministry of Health, rabies has claimed the lives of five people in 2025 alone.
Journalist: Jesuina Xavier
Editor: Isaura Lemos de Deus
Translation: Camilio de Sousa
