International Health Consulting Services

IHCS provided a consultant to undertake the role of Team Leader and Public Health Specialist for the World Bank and European Union funded Support to the Implementation of the Health Sector Invest Program in Timor-Leste (East Timor) from2005 to 2008.

The program aimed to improve availability, accessibility and affordability of health services to all people of East Timor, and to improve participation of the community and other stakeholders (including other sectors) in health related decision making.  This took place in a post-conflict and continuing-conflict situation. 

The program developed the national health training capacity through the National Institute of Health Sciences that provides pre-service and in-service training for nursing and technical health staff, and coordinates in-country training with overseas training under a national Human Resources Development plan.  A Standard Package of  Basic Health Services was developed and delivered through a network of public health facilities at district and referral hospital level, based on MDGs 4, 5 and 6 and concentrating on the reduction of Maternal, Infant and Child Mortality Rates.  Communities were encouraged to participate in planning and decision making for local health services, and awareness of health problems, and benefits of health services available to them, was increased.  Financial management for districts and referral hospitals was strengthened.   Medium Term Planning and Financing processes, including the development of a Medium Term Strategic Plan, a Medium Term Expenditure Framework, and a comprehensive National Health Financing Strategy, including National Health Accounts were sufficiently developed to enable a move to a Sector Wide Approach.  The Project also developed a framework for health service delivery systems that are accountable to community requirements, and deliver satisfactory and cost-efficient services.