UNICEF supports COVID-19 response in Timor-Leste

UNICEF’s multi-sectoral support helps improve access to water, sanitation, hygiene, health services, continued learning, parenting tips on how to engage with children, and a wide range of supplies

“COVID-19 is the greatest test that we have faced together since the formation of the United Nations,” said the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres. “We must prepare for the worst and do everything to avoid it,” he said. 

The first case of COVID-19 in Timor-Leste was confirmed on 21 March and a subsequent state of emergency was declared on 28 March. Schools have been closed since 23 March. A number of measures were announced as part of the state of emergency, including restrictions on public transport and recommendations to stay at home. 
UNICEF has been closely supporting the Government of Timor-Leste in its response, and in line with the global United Nations (UN) three-point call to action announced by the UN Secretary-General. The call to action focuses on suppressing transmission of the virus; tackling the social and economic dimensions of the crisis; and recovering better. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has to be stopped, soon, and UNICEF is doing all it can to support every effort to prevent its spread in Timor-Leste,” said Valérie Taton, UNICEF Representative in Timor-Leste. “We are also working to make sure this crisis does not result in another one for children, be it a lack of immunization or nutrition, or increased violence.”

Lifesaving information

As part of support to a national strategy to make sure people have the information they need to protect themselves and prevent the spread of COVID-19, UNICEF has worked with the Ministry of Health (MoH), and various partners including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union (EU), in developing a range of multimedia messages and material based on WHO global messaging. Several videos in tetun have been developed with leading personalities in Timor-Leste urging citizens to adhere to guidelines on how to stay safe. In collaboration with the Disability Association of Timor-Leste, a video was developed in sign language, and together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) another with the Commissioner on the Rights of the Child provided information to children on how to protect themselves and their families. UNICEF is also working with the MoH to coordinate the community engagement response, which has reached more than 250,000 people using vehicle-based outreach, national and community radio and television. Several of these efforts are also being coordinated with the National Commission on the Rights of the Child, Secretary of State for Social Communication and other government counterparts.

Clean water and improved sanitation

UNICEF has also supported the General Directorate of Water and Sanitation (DGAS) to provide 70 buckets with taps to key institutions including the country’s international airport and various quarantine facilities. With the Ministry of Health and DGAS, UNICEF has conducted a rapid assessment of water and sanitation needs in public spaces across the capital, and has set up handwashing stations in 12 public places in the capital, improved sanitation facilities in one of the largest markets in Dili, and is complementing these by training on how to practice effective hand-hygiene. UNICEF will also support the improvement of access to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in health or public facilities in other areas of Timor-Leste identified jointly with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Public Works.
To suppress the transmission of the virus, UNICEF has also been supporting the Ministry of Education in distributing cleaning materials and hygiene kits to schools in three municipalities - Dili, Ermera and Viqueque - and has provided orientation to 520 preschool coordinators around how to use these materials effectively. Three hundred and fifty handwashing buckets were distributed in pre-schools prior to school closures.

Ensuring quality health care and standards for suspected and confirmed cases

UNICEF is also helping the MoH and response efforts through the procurement of medical and other equipment which will be utilized in current and future isolation centers, according to needs. Some of the equipment UNICEF has procured includes patient bed and trolleys, medicine trolleys, bedside cabinets, wheelchairs, infrared thermometers and bedding equipment. UNICEF has also procured and provided two large fully equipped containers with air-conditioners, beds and water and sanitation facilities, which have been set up as quarantine facilities at the two main land-borders in Covalima and Bobonaro municipalities. UNICEF has also provided dozens of speakers and equipment and printed material for ongoing community engagement activities in Dili and several municipalities. 

Continued learning

To ensure access to continued learning for children during ongoing school closures, UNICEF has worked with the Ministry of Education to develop a series of 20 television programmes for children in preschool through to Grade 6. These are being broadcast on national television and are available online. Radio programming and a wide range of video, audio and e-books are also being developed. Workbooks for students in Grades 1 to 4 have been specially developed for those in rural and remote areas, while an e-book for parents and guardians on how to explain COVID-19 to children with disabilities has also been released. 

Child protection

UNICEF is working with the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion to develop a series of materials on parenting during the COVID-19 outbreak, how to explain COVID-19 to children, how to help children cope with stress, and how to support continued learning. UNICEF is also working with the MSSI, MoH and youth collective Hamutuk Ita Rezolve to ensure awareness on the need to protect children online, at home and in communities. UNICEF is also collaborating with partners to raise awareness about the need for the protection of girls, women and children from violence. 

Preventing long-term impacts for children

UNICEF is also working to ensure that the COVID-19 outbreak does not have an impact on other child rights, such as interruptions to regular health, nutrition and other services for children.

Alongside the COVID-19 response, UNICEF is working with the MOH to ensure that women and children continue to access health and nutrition services through routine monitoring and capacity building of health workers.

UNICEF is also supporting the MoH to assess the stocks and status of vaccines, cold-chain systems to enable uninterrupted immunization of children, the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding for at least six months, as well as planned special training and protective equipment for nutrition workers. 

UNICEF’s support to the COVID-19 response is funded by internal funds from UNICEF, the Ministry of Health in Timor-Leste, as well as from the Asian Development Bank, Australian National Committee for UNICEF, European Union and the Government of Japan.