Making HIV patients feel safe and valued: Beatriz’s story
The first time Beatriz* started taking treatment for HIV was around a year ago. She stopped taking it after just two days. In Timor Leste, the anti-viral tablet we usually prescribe for HIV frequently causes nausea, nightmares and dizziness. A year ago, Beatriz had no...
Improving maternal HIV screening
Procession of the pink plastic table to its new home in the antenatal clinic. You might think that this is a cheap plastic table with some laminated cards tied on with pieces of string. You wouldn’t be wrong about that. What might not be obvious to a casual observer...
A Maluk approach to starting a HIV program
The team: Madalena, Nina, Eleanor, Dircia, Alfredo, Ano and Odilia. Sitting on the floor of Office World surrounded by stationery, I am overcome with doubt. Dircia and I have been here for the last half hour, and I am now certain that the wrong choice of file divider...
Heavy rain doesn’t dampen spirits at the HIV clinic
Our HIV clinic was flooded last week. One learns to expect rain in the rainy season, but the downpour on the weekend saw much of Dili under water. By the time I had sloshed my way into work on Monday, my ultra-efficient team had already dispatched most of the mud. We...
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...
Stories from Jo, accounting mentor
Sitting at my flimsy little office desk I am as comfortable, inspired and energetic as I’ve felt for years. There’s no big salary and no high-tech resources at my disposal. There is, however, an abundance of amazing, talented and keen people. Our CEO (Dr Jeremy) is a...
Stepping up: Dircia – HIV Team Leader
I never thought I could take on a big responsibility like HIV team leader but I got inspired last year about the vision of Maluk Timor and inspired to step up and lead this team. In Timor there are only 7 ADT centers (the clinic that deliver the HIV medicine and look...