Timor-Leste COVID-19 Emergency Support Project

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The aim of this project is to support the Government of Timor-Leste in its response to COVID-19. The project design is aligned with the MOH of Timor-Leste’s National Contingency Plan for COVID-19 and responds to areas where existing gaps have been identified. The project will support the country’s health system with enhanced transportation capacity through provision of vehicles to deliver essential supplies and strengthen supervision and surveillance activities, as well as provision of ambulances for a faster and more efficient referral of COVID-19 patients, especially from remote parts of the country. In addition, the proposed grant will strengthen the surveillance capacity through financing the cost of increased number of surveillance staff. With reference to the pillars of the country’s COVID-19 Contingency Plan, the project supports pillars 1,3,6 and 7 specifically. The Project will be financed by the PEF Insurance Window allocation to Timor-Leste. The project will complement other efforts that have been committed and will be financed by the Government of Timor-Leste’s own COVID-19 Fund, as well as by development partners including DFAT Australia, EU, WHO, USAID, and other UN agencies. Beyond the domestic resources, additional purchase of drugs, equipment, PPE as well as fees for additional surveillance officers are covered under fund allocations by the mentioned donor partners. However, there are gaps to distribute the drugs and equipment to the district, for adequate supervision and surveillance transportation, additional training for surveillance officers and the personnel driving the ambulances, and for safe transportation of COVID-suspected cases especially from remote areas of the country. These activities are also commensurate with the limited period of implementation available for this project.