USAID | Timor-Leste and the Ministry of Health launched a groundbreaking initiative to bolster professional competence of health professionals to deliver and improve quality of health care services in Timor-Leste.

This brief introduces the social determinants of health (SDOH) concept and terminology, and discusses approaches to addressing SDOH. Understanding these root causes of health inequities and their impact on health care access, quality, and equity is crucial to strengthening health systems.

LHSS conducted a study of 37 countries to provide a better understanding of the strengths, opportunities, and gaps in the structures governing the provision of quality health services.

This report details case studies from Rwanda and Zambia which offer unique insights into the operationalization of National Quality Policies and Strategy (NQPS) within broader governance and quality of care reforms.

USAID nia Atividade ba Sustentabilidade Sistema Saúde iha Timor-Leste nia objetivu mak atu fortalese governasaun setor saúde, dezenvolve mekanismu ba finansiamentu saúde ida ne’ebe sustentável, fortalese jestaun forsa traballu saúde, promove hahalok saudavel, no mobiliza sosiedade sivil.

The USAID Health System Sustainability Activity in Timor-Leste aims to strengthen health sector governance, develop mechanisms for sustainable health financing, strengthen health workforce management, promote healthy behaviors, and mobilize civil society.

Health workers are welcoming new policies that promote equitable access to employment, professional development, and promotion opportunities.

The purpose of the DACA was to assess: the Ministry of Health (MOH) data use and data quality processes; the opportunity and capacity of different levels of the health system to analyze data; health management information system (HMIS) governance; electronic HMIS deployment; the state of interoperability, and COVID-19 data capture. 

Improved internet connectivity and capacity strengthening have increased timeliness and completeness of health data reporting in Timor-Leste. That makes all the difference for the country’s health officers.

LHSS along with speakers from USAID and WHO reflected on strategies to ensure reliable funding for costing the planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of a National Quality Policy and Strategy (NQPS).

This brief builds on the USAID Local Health System Sustainability Project (LHSS) Strengthening Governance report (2022) and global National Quality Policy and Strategy (NQPS) survey, aiming to provide practical examples and considerations for country practitioners to consider on their quality journeys. It includes case studies of three countries that have used NQPS to mobilize and align resources for quality.

This learning brief can be used as a resource for HRH managers, planners, program managers, and frontline practitioners to learn how other countries are approaching and successfully designing and implementing solutions to their HRH challenges. It can also be used as a reference for health policy makers, funders, and implementing partners to inform the design and implementation of HRH resource optimization initiatives covered in this brief.

This Catalog allows practitioners to consider which interventions have more robust evidence bases to support their practical application, such as: enhancing worker and supervisor competencies through training, offering nonfinancial incentives for high performers, practicing task sharing to promote cost savings, implementing digital solutions to expand access to services, and reducing costs of procuring and distributing pharmaceutical products.

The ministry of health tracks more than 80 indicators to guide decision making on health programs in Timor-Leste. This training helps guarantee quality of data in the system. 

In December 2021, more than 180 midwives from across Timor-Leste participated in an Activity-led event to identify areas for improvement in a set of draft standards.