Photo essay

Bringing health services closer to the community through the VAHSI programme

Bringing health services closer to the community through the Vaccine Access and Health Security Initiative (VAHSI) programme, funded by the Government of Australia

Dominggus Monemnasi

vahsi1 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi

02 August 2024

Bobonaro, 18 July 2024 - The Vaccine Access and Health Security Initiative (VAHSI) programme helps increase immunization coverage in Timor-Leste with active community engagement and outreach immunization services by the mobile teams.

vahsi2 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi Paulina de Neri, the focal point of partnership from Bobonaro Municipality Health service, is explaining in Kemak (a local language) to Leolima community members in Bobonaro Municipality during the Vaccine Access and Health Security Initiative (VAHSI) joint monitoring programme. She is emphasizing the importance of routine immunization for children and the COVID-19 vaccine for eligible individuals.

vahsi3 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi Bendonina dos Reis Jeronimo, the Health Promotion and Education Officer at the national level of the Ministry of Health, and joined as a team lead of the VAHSI Joint Monitoring in Bobonaro Municipality, expressing her gratitude to the community members for attending the immunization service point and encouraging them to receive their vaccine during this event

vahsi4 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi Elviano, a 21-year-old youth with a mental and speaking disability, received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. He opted for the vaccine to fulfil the requirements set by the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion to receive social assistance. Due to living in a remote area, he and his family did not receive much information during the pandemic. It took almost two hours for him and his mother to reach the VAHSI service point.

vahsi5 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi Aplonia (52) received her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from a health professional of Balibo Community Health Centre during the VAHSI community outreach programme at Leolima Village of Bobonaro Municipality.

vahsi6 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi Armandina, 20 years old, has three children. Today, she comes with her baby Anaira, 6 months old to the immunization service point where the VAHSI programme is conducted in Leolima Village, Bobonaro Municipality, Timor-Leste. It takes her almost two hours to walk from her home to reach to the health outreach service point.

vahsi7 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi Armandina, 20 years old registers her baby Anaira, six months old, for the first-time immunization after birth. A member of the Mother Support Group helps to register Armandina’s baby details. Today, her baby receives all the vaccines that her baby missed from birth up to 6 months old.

vahsi8 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi Armadina, 20 years old, received the EIC materials on health promotion and immunization schedule from a Mother Support Group member when the VAHSI programme implemented in Leolima Villa of Bobonaro Municipalty, Timor-Leste.

vahsi10 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi Armandina is following the steps provided at the health outreach point. Her baby Anaira, 6 months old, and weighs 7,5 kg.

vahsi11 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi Armandina receives some information from Angelita Maria Gomes, Health Officer – Immunisation, UNICEF Timor-Leste on how to keep Armandina’s baby healthy, like visiting the health post regularly to check the baby’s health progress and to make sure the baby is fully immunized according to the national immunization schedule.

vahsi12 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi Armandina registers her baby’s name for catch up immunization. Her baby missed all of her immunizations from birth until 6 months of age.

vahsi13 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi Armandina brings her baby Anaira (6 months old) to have her measurement of MUAC done by a health professional. The baby’s MUAC is 8 cm. Angelita Maria Gomes, Health Officer – Immunisation, UNICEF Timor-Leste followed Armandina and her baby throughout the whole process of health treatment for the baby at the VAHSI community outreach session in Leolima Village, Bobonaro Municipality.

vahsi14 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi Armandina’s baby Anaira, 6 months old receives OPV 1. Rotavirus 1 vaccines from a health professional at Leolima VAHSI service point for the first time after birth.

vahsi15 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi Armandina’s baby Anaira, 6 months old receives OPV 1. Rotavirus 1 vaccines from a health professional at Leolima VAHSI service point for the first time after birth.

vahsi16 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi Armandina receives medicine from a health professional for her baby Anaira, 6 months old, after her baby received series of immunisations at Leolima VAHSI service point in Leolima Village, Bobonaro Municipality.

vahsi17 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi Armandina interacts with Bendonina Silva, the Health Promotion and Education Officer from the national level of the Ministry of Health and Angelita Maria Gomes, Health Officer – Immunisation, UNICEF Timor-Leste in Leolima Village, Bobonaro Municipality on how to save the lives of their children by making sure to have a regular visit to the health facility and ensure her child is fully immunized and protected.

vahsi18 — UNICEF Timor-Leste/2024/DMonemnasi

The VAHSI programme is implemented with generous financial support from the Government of Australia through DFAT in collaboration with UNICEF Timor-Leste, and in partnership with World Health Organization Timor-Leste and World Vision Timor-Leste to support the Ministry of Health to improve the coverage of COVID-19 vaccination and routine immunisation in Timor-Leste.

###Ends

Bringing health services closer to the community through the VAHSI programme

Related topics

More to explore

UNICEF supports families with clean and safe water

Climate-Smart Services Delivered for Children in Hera Community

Mother Support Group (MSG) provides nutrition awareness

Miranda learns how hygiene improves health