Paulina Quintso – The Director of the National Optical Centre (NOC) Belmeiro Jeronimo said the institution would not provide medical consultations and eye surgery in all municipalities because it does not have sufficient human resources.
In 2015 the NOC conducted mobile activities across the territory to provide medical consultations and eye surgery in the community but this year it does not have enough resources.
"This year we will only provide medical consultations at the five referral hospitals including at the Atauro health centre because of our limited human resources and funds," said Director Jeronimo in Dili.
Many of the NOC's staff stopped working at the centre since the Fred Hollows Foundation New Zealand completed its mission in Timor-Leste in 2015 and handed-over operations to the government. The government said itn would not be able to given follow up contracts to everyone who was previously engaged with the NOC. The centre currently has 20 staff and 3 optometrists from China, Nepal and Cuba.
Data collected by the NOC in 2015 showed that 10.492 Timorese had eye problems ranging from cataracts and eye tumours. Patients suffering from cataracts had local surgery while the more serious eye tumour cases were referred to specialists overseas.
Resident Jose Sales said the government must continue to support the activities of the NOC because the outreach activities reach vulnerable people who otherwise would not have access to public health treatment.
"The existing services should continue to allow people in the rural areas to access eye treatment," said resident Sales. He urged the government to continue its mobile outreach services in the rural areas.