Press Releases
Signing and Exchange of Notes concerning Grant Aid to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste "the Project for the Improvement of the Facilities for the Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care at the Community Health Centers”
On March 6 (on the same day local time), in Dili, H.E. Mr. KIMURA Tetsuya, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, and Dr. Domingas Bernardo, Country Representative ad interim, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Timor-Leste, signed and exchanged notes for the Grant Aid "the Project for the Improvement of the Facilities for the Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care at the Community Health Centers” (grant amount: 1.108 billion yen).
- Timor-Leste, the first independent county of the 21st century, has been making efforts toward reconstruction from conflicts and consolidation of peace since its independence in 2002.
Twenty-two years after the independence, the challenges for the country's sustainable growth and development include development and improvement of socioeconomic infrastructure and improvement and expansion of social services delivery etc. The situation of maternal and child health care in the country, especially for pregnant and nursing mothers during childbirth and the perinatal period, is affected by the delayed intervention due to the insufficient infrastructure and a lack of human resources with adequate knowledge, and thereby requires immediate improvement of the situation. - This project aims to improve the environment for maternal childbirth and perinatal care throughout Timor-Leste by constructing and renovating basic emergency obstetric and newborn care facilities at community health centers, and providing equipment and capacity building training. This project will contribute to improving the maternal and child health situation in the country.
The country covers approximately 14,900 square kilometers (about the same size as the four metropolitan prefectures of Japan combined) and has a population of approximately 1.34 million people (World Bank 2021 Report). It has a per capita gross national income (GNI) of US$1,940 (World Bank, 2021).