Author: Doctor Jeremy

Caught up and Cut off

Imagine that you took the leap to relocate your family from a life of subsistence farming on the hillsides of rural Timor-Leste to the nation’s capital, Dili, in pursuit of better opportunities for your children. Education, employment and access to key services are all part of the attraction. Unable to find affordable accommodation in town, […]

We have sunny days but Covid is a looming threat

“It’s not that bad, others are much worse.” All week we’ve been reaching out to our staff and mostly hearing reassurances that their houses are not too badly affected. Imagine our surprise when one of their friends then sends us a photo of the scene out of concern for their welfare: knee-high water levels, submerged […]

Nutrition or lack there of – What is the problem and how you might help

What is the problem? East Timor is the most undernourished country in Asia and was recently listed as the second ‘hungriest’ nation in the world on the Global Hunger Index.   The Demographic Health Survey (2016) reported rates of stunting (failure to reach expected height) at 46% among children under five, and wasting (dangerously underweight) […]

Making a difference

Grab a coffee and enjoy the latest edition of Dr Jeremys Blog….. Link Wonderful Partnership in life and work – Dr Jeremy and Dr Bethany

Energy and persistence conquer all things – HIV training is being rolled out

As you may have read this week we farewelled the wonderful Dr Eleanor MacMorran – all though there were plenty of tears, we know she’ll be back again early next year. Eleanor, an Infectious Diseases specialist from Tasmania, joined us two years ago when our HIV program was little more than a dream. From August […]

We have won the 1st battle but the Covid war is far from over

Update 7/7/2020 It’s remarkable that Timor-Leste has successfully contained the COVID-19 pandemic to just 24 confirmed cases and we are enormously proud to have played our part. We are only one contributor among many, standing alongside the Ministry of Health, the WHO and our other health partners. We’ve won the first battle but of course […]

Timor Leste COVID UPDATE – June 2020

As the world continues to look to ways to manage the COVID19 pandemic, in Timor Leste our team is continuing to work with and support the Timorese staff working in the Community Health Centres. We are continuing to work closely with the Timor Leste Ministry of Health and to be supported by DFAT funding. Infection […]

Are you a Doctor interested Communicable Diseases and Education ?

For doctors interested in global and tropical health and interested in an opportunity to make a significant contribution to health, to learn, to educate and to participate in operational research. East Timor is a country with many communicable disease challenges and a developing health system that offers numerous opportunities. Maluk Timor (MT) is a not-for-profit […]

Momentus day for Maluk Timor and the MOH

On Wednesday afternoon, 11th September, 2019, our local NGO Maluk Timor has formalised its relationship with the Ministry of Health through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. Vice Minister of Strategic Development in Health and Interim Minister of Health, Sr. Bonifácio Maucoli dos Reis signed the MoU together with Dr Jeremy Beckett, Maluk Timor’s […]

The value of good nursing care in TL

Any of us who have ever been sick or hospitalised know the value of a great nurse. Doctors breeze in and out but it is the nurses who so often make the difference. We know that the quality of the patient experience matters almost as much as the clinical care: the health system in Timor-Leste […]

Dr Ella brings healthcare to rural Timor-Leste outpost

Dr Anferida Monteiro Fernandes, or “Dr Ella” as she is known, works in a remote health post in the subdistrict of Los Palos at the far eastern end of Timor-Leste. “I am the only doctor at my health post… from Dili by bus it’s about 8 hours.” Having grown up in Los Palos, Dr Ella […]

From country Victoria to Timor-Leste: doctors share their story

In 2018, Drs Lindsay and Dianne Sherriff farewelled their home and country practice of 25 years in Kerang, Victoria and set out on a new chapter in Timor-Leste. For Dianne this was the fulfilment of a lifelong dream that began with a visit to Timor-Leste as a school girl. She and her husband Lindsay had […]

Australian Aid Friendship Grant awarded to Maluk

Maluk Timor is successful in its application in the inaugural round of Australian Aid: Friendship Grants – the Nursing Triage Program to be expanded. On 30 November 2018 the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, announced the successful applicants for the inaugural round of Australian Aid: Friendship Grants. The grants fund the […]

Staffing Growth to meet the need

Some of the team at the recent board lunch in the garden of Maluk Timor Headquarters One year ago, Maluk Timor launched with 2 ½ programs and 17 staff, low on resources but with high hopes. Twelve months on we find that we’ve flourished, growing into 9 programs with 50 staff. It’s been quite a […]

Triage Triumph – Go the NURSES

Triage Triumph Most of us take it for granted that when we arrive at an Emergency Department we will be interviewed by a nurse who makes an assessment of how urgent our condition might be. This is known as triage: determining which patients need to be seen in what order. The government health centres in […]

Respect and hope – the HIV story

In the 1980’s HIV/AIDS was considered a death sentence. It was an horrific epidemic that destroyed people from the inside out, devastating their immune system and leaving them vulnerable to diseases of every kind. People living with HIV endured terrible stigma, even from family and friends, and mostly ended their lives in misery. This is […]

Partnership with Klibur Domins

Last August 28, we had the wonderful opportunity to celebrate Klibur Domins achievements as they hosted Former Prime Minister and health minister, Dr. Rui Maria de Araujo. Great progress in Tuberculosis, Mental Health, Dental and Rehabilitation has been made, thanks to the combined efforts. We are very excited to be working closely with them to […]