Contacts:
In Washington: Elisabeth Mealey Email: emealey@worldbank.org Phone: 1-202-458 4475 In Dili: Antonio Franco Email: afranco@worldbank.org WASHINGTON, D.C., December 13, 2007--The World Bank today approved the Health Sector Strategic Plan Support Project for Timor-Leste which will assist the Government’s goal to improve people’s access to good quality health services. The World Bank contribution – a US$1 million grant from the International Development Agency (IDA) – will be pooled with US$19.3 from the Australian Government to form the Health Sector Support Fund. This fund will be used primarily to improve the quality and coverage of preventive and curative health services, particularly for women and children. “This project is important at this time for Timor-Leste because it builds on the good progress that the heath sector has made since 2000 and helps the country prepare for the next generation of issues for developing the health system,” said Ms. Fadia Saadah, Manager of Human Development for the World Bank’s East Asia Pacific region. The project has four components aimed at: improving the accessibility, demand and quality of health services; strengthening support services, human resources development and management; strengthening coordination, planning and monitoring; and piloting new initiatives and programs. “Despite the recent renewal of civil conflict, the health sector in Timor-Leste has continued to perform well,” said Mr Nigel Roberts, World Bank Country Director of Timor-Leste. “Medical personnel are being trained, new hospitals are in their final stages of construction, financing is getting to where it should go and people are receiving care. To build on this good progress, Timor-Leste is looking ahead to address the next challenges – including how to address low utilization and how to better monitor service delivery. Through this fund, AusAid and the World Bank hope to support the country as it moves forward in this vital sector.” The project will begin early next year and will run for five years. For further information about the World Bank’s activities in Timor-Leste, visitwww.worldbank.org/tl - | 
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