The response to COVID-19 in Timor-Leste: Lessons learnt

Joshua R. Francis, Rui Maria De Araujo, Odete Da Silva Viegas, Sergio Lobo, Danina Coelho, Arvind Mathur, Vinay Bothra, Dongbao Yu, Anthony D.K. Draper, Jennifer Yan, Nelson Martins

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Abstract

The response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Timor-Leste offers lessons that may be useful for incorporating into future responses to infectious disease outbreaks in similar resource-limited settings. In this paper, we identify nine key areas for learning from Timor-Leste's experience of the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) the importance of prior preparation for health emergencies, (2) the establishment of effective leadership and governance structures, (3) the protective impact of early border restrictions, (4) the rapid expansion of diagnostic laboratory capacity, (5) the impact of effective health communications in supporting the vaccine roll-out, (6) the opportunity to build capacity for clinical care, (7) the use of public health interventions that were found to have limited public health impact, (8) the broader effects of the pandemic and the public health response and (9) translation of lessons from COVID-19 to other public health priorities.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere013573
Pages (from-to)1-7
Number of pages7
JournalBMJ Global Health
Volume8
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 11 Oct 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
In 2016, the WHO supported the National Health Laboratory (NHL) to establish capacity for real-time PCR testing for influenza. This capacity provided the basis for the subsequent expansion of PCR testing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Korea International Cooperation Agency contributed significantly to strengthening tuberculosis diagnostic capacity, including for PCR testing. Other investments were supported by the Australian Government’s Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security and the United Kingdom’s Fleming Fund, focused on diagnostic microbiology for infectious diseases testing and surveillance.

Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

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