Dili, December 6, 2024 (Média Democracia) – The Ministry of Health in collaboration with WHO has begun expanding oxygen in Timor-Leste, because so far oxygen has only been purchased from abroad.
Deputy Minister of Hospital Operations, Flávio Brandao Mendes de Aurojú expressed his gratitude that Timor-Leste, together with partners WHO and the Global Fund, was able to provide oxygen so that in the future there would be no need to waste money buying it from abroad.
“First of all we are grateful because Timor-Leste is partnering with WHO and the Global Fund, we were able to build an Oxygen Plant, meaning that when we have an Oxygen Plant with the existing production, we will not buy oxygen anymore in the future and we will remove Oxygen from the authorization list, this is a good achievement.” Said the Vice Minister of Hospital Operations, Flávio Brandao Mendes de Aurojú
He said that Timor-Leste is very happy to have oxygen, we can calculate that when we start production next year we can save almost 1 million USD.
“We are happy because in our country there is already Plant Oxygen which mathematically if it starts production next year can save approximately 1 million USD. So, very grateful to the technicians from WHO and the Director of the Global Fund.” He said.
He informed that the purpose of Plan Oxygen is for Directors and technicians to create a production strategy with distribution and maintenance because oxygen is the most expensive part of the training.
“The strategy of how to produce it, then distribute it and maintain it, then the strategy of utilization and raising awareness among our health workers so that they can rationalize the use of oxygen. So this oxygen is part of the most expensive training, so we have to utilize it well. We have high hopes that the methods we use with our partners will provide good results for our health problems in this country.” He added.
He said that for almost 20 years oxygen has always been purchased, such as the experience in 2018 when Timor Leste faced COVID-19 which forced TL to purchase oxygen in Australia.
“Our experience as conveyed by Dr. Arvind Mathur, in 2018 we faced COVID-19, we bought oxygen from Australia, so we don’t want this situation to continue to happen, until now sometimes there are patients who come from remote health center areas so they have to move to Dili just because they need oxygen at the health center.” He said
As WHO representative in Timor-Leste, Arvind Mathur said, it was a great privilege to speak to everyone because being able to come together to develop the National Oxygen and Pulse Oxymetric Expansion strategy for Timor-Leste is a great step forward, to ensure the continued availability of oxygen and for the oxygen supply system.
“Oxygen is a vital life-saving necessity and is essential for treating a range of medical conditions from respiratory illnesses to critical illnesses that we need,” said Arvind Mathur.
He said the silver lining of Covid-19 was that it showed the world how vulnerable the global oxygen supply system is.
“Most hospitals in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) do not have access to oxygen therapy, with only about 20% of patients who need medical oxygen getting it,” he said.
In Timor-Leste, this crisis is unfolding in a way that shows the urgent need to produce oxygen in the medical field in this country.
“I have to congratulate and appreciate the Ministry of Health for resolving the Covid-19 crisis and its condition in strengthening the health system,” he said.
This collaborative meeting is a good example of how the government is making the lessons they learned from the Pandemic into real actions and can take steps forward for the country.
“WHO is also relentless in its mission to improve the global emergency response system. The Oxygen Expansion Initiative is a major program that has gained great momentum post-Pandemic in the world. The National Oxygen Expansion Medical Plan (2025-2030) for Timor-Leste as a five-year investment strategy plan.” He informed
In addition, the Oxygen Plant was inaugurated last August, which received participation from the Ministry of Health and the WHO Regional Director for Asia at HNGV.
Reported by : Estefania
Picture by : Courtyard/Page of Cinzas Palace