Paulina Quintao – The Director of Clinical Services of the National Hospital Guido Valadares (HNGV), Flavio Brandao said medical specialist services in Timor-Leste still depend on foreign specialists due to the lack of national specialists.

He urged the government to give priority of specialist medical training and to consider this an investment for future health services in the country.

"We really need specialists. The number of specialists we have right now is not sufficient yet," he said in his office, Bidau, Dili.

Currently, 30 foreign specialists providing health care assistance to patients at the National Hospital in Dili, from Cuba, China, and Australia. Timor-Leste has 12 Timorese health specialists' in obstetrics, pediatric, surgery, skin, bones, hepatology, cardiology, eyes and neurology.

He said some specialist trainings are held inside the country including for pediatric and eye care because the specialist doctors from other countries are in Timor-Leste and they are able to transfer their knowledge to the Timorese doctors.

"It costs much money holding this type of training overseas, but in-country, the doctors know better the diseases and the situations and it cost less," he said.

He said the national hospital has held talks with the National University of Timor Lorosa'e (UNTL) to establish post-graduate training in pediatric.

On the other hand, the President Commission F (health, education, culture, veterans and gender equality), MP Virgilio da Costa Hornai said as a nation, the government should think to give priority to train the specialist doctors.

He said that GP's are plenty but Timor-Leste still has limited numbers of specialist doctors.

"We can contract foreign specialists but we cannot sustain this situation," he said.

He added the general parliament allocated funds for human capital development in the annual state general budget who get it depends on the policies of government.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/health/14519-timor-leste-still-lacks-specialist-doctors