Programs
1st Sub-Sections
2nd Sub-Sections
Timor-Leste
Venilale Health Promotion
In late 2001 Ministry of Health (MOH) staff suggested that HAI consider working with one of the Catholic Church-supported health services in the country, which had for many years provided badly needed health care to the rural poor. Since then HAI has worked in partnership with the Salesian Sisters, who operate a health clinic in Venilale, a subdistrict of Baucau District, in collaboration with staff from the MOH Health Center in Venilale. Initial and ongoing support for this project has been provided through the Joseph Handleman Charitable Foundation.
The project has the goal of mobilizing communities to adopt improved health behaviors and care-seeking practices.
Village Health Promoters (VHPs), chosen by the village leadership, participate in monthly training workshops in priority health areas, and then carry out health promotion activities in their respective villages. Training workshops for the VHPs are conducted by the Salesian Clinic staff together with the MOH staff. VHPs return to the subdistrict center every month for refresher training and are also visited regularly in their villages by the project coordinator.
Photo: Mary Anne Mercer
HAI continues to provide technical support to the Salesian clinic staff in obtaining new grants to further expand their community work in Venilale. The Conrad Hilton Fund for Sisters has provided grant support to the Salesian Sister for the past two years to enhance and expand the project.
Results to date include:
- A low attrition rate among VHPs with an extraordinary willingness to serve their communities;
- Interest and receptiveness on the part of the village populations in regards to the health promotion activities; and
- Substantial increases in the identification and treatment of tuberculosis cases (by VHPs), in immunization coverage for children, and in tetanus toxoid coverage for pregnant women.
The MOH is developing a similar system of community-based health promotion workers throughout the country, for which HAI’s experience will provide valuable lessons.