Australia’s Darwin-based National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre has been engaged to medically support the World Health Meeting in Timor-Leste.

The internationally recognised National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC) is providing emergency medical support to this week’s World Health Organisation South-East Asia Region meeting in Dili, Timor Leste.

The NCCTRC has deployed an emergency doctor and paramedic at the invitation of the Timor-Leste Minister of Health, Dr Maria does Ceu Sarmento P. da Costa.

Emergency physician Dr Malcolm Johnston-Leek and the NCCTRC Operations Manager and paramedic Abigail Trewin are in Dili  working closely with the Dili Hospital and the ambulance service.

“We have a strong and ongoing relationship with the Timor-Leste Government and our Timorese medical colleagues,” Executive Director Dr Nick Coatsworth said.

The WHO meeting comes as the NCCTRC is also preparing to support to the annual Tour de Timor mountain bike race from 13-17th September, Dr Coatsworth said.

The WHO South East Asia Regional Committee meets annually and is hosted by one of the 11 member countries of South-East Asia. This is the first time that the Regional Committee is meeting in Timor-Leste.

WHO’s South-East Asia Region comprises the following 11 Member States: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste.

Among the topics on the agenda will be: accelerating efforts to protect people against tobacco, advocating for health in the post-2015 Global Sustainable Development Goals, and expanding effective services with stronger health workforce.

The status of measles elimination and control of rubella in the Region by 2020, polio eradication initiatives, effective management of medicines and health information systems, will also be discussed in the meeting.

The Regional Committee, the highest policy making body of WHO in the Region, will also deliberate on anti-microbial resistance, an issue which needs urgent attention and action.

The NCCTRC was established by the Australian Government following the 2002 Bali bombings.

 Media inquiries: Michelle Foster 0459 166 801