In April this year, as COVID-19 was spreading in the community, Timor-Leste had major floods. The floods affected all of Timor-Leste but were more significant in Dili, causing many people to lose their homes, property, and more than 40 people lost their lives.

Since the floods, COVID-19 has continued to spread in the community in Timor-Leste with more than 8,700 cases diagnosed so far. In 2020, there were no cases of community transmission in Timor-Leste. However, in March 2021 the first case of COVID-19 in the community was detected. Timor-Leste had spent the last year strengthening their health systems to respond to COVID-19.

When COVID-19 testing began in Timor-Leste, the Timor-Leste Ministry of Health and the National Health Laboratory (NHL) collected samples from people with a suspected case of COVID-19. These samples were sent to Australia by the Ministry of Health through cooperation and support from the Australian Embassy in Timor-Leste.

Menzies provided immediate support to Ministry of Health especially NHL in order to test COVID-19 samples in Timor-Leste safely, credibly and efficiently. Menzies also sent doctors and specialists to Timor-Leste to train and increase the skills of Timorese laboratory technicians working in NHL to conduct the test of the COVID-19 samples.

Executive director of Timor-Leste’s National Health Laboratory, Endang Soares da Silva, said the partnership between NHL and Menzies has helped NHL to enhance its ability to conduct diagnostic microbiology tests, clinical diagnostics and surveillance for various infectious diseases.

In the past two years, Menzies has also supported capacity building in diagnostics and surveillance for antimicrobial resistance with NHL, in addition to supporting molecular microbiology tests and providing training and capacity building for other technicians.

“With the support of Menzies, NHL has made great progress that is highlighted through our technical staff,” said Ms Soares da Silva.

“Every technician that has been involved in the training, has really increased their capacity, their knowledge and work experience in microbiology, their confidence to report the results linked to diagnostics, surveillance and research, and to continue to participate in an External Quality Assurance program to maintain the credible and quality results.”

Menzies continues to work closely with NHL technicians and provide capacity building for technicians to ensure the sustainability of quality of diagnostics services in Timor-Leste. Currently there are 70 staff at NHL, which includes technicians that are employed by Menzies, WHO and Global Fund.

Menzies and NHL are now planning to work with the MOH to expand microbiology services in Suai and Baucau referral hospitals and to provide support in capacity building to technicians that work in these laboratories.

Read more about our work in Timor-Leste here: