Dr. Rui Maria de Araujo, Minister of Health

In my capacity as Coordinator for the Monaco Red Cross Prince Rainier III Maternity Clinic, I met with the Minister of Health of Timor-Leste, Dr. Rui Maria de Araujo. We discussed the impact the clinic will have in the community. The Monaco Red Cross Clinic will be the 2nd of its kind here in Timor-Leste. The concept of the materntiy clinic is to help change the way mothers are delivering children. The maternal and infant mortality rate is vey high in this country. Because current medical facilities are too far away from rural areas, there are cases where mothers die en route to receiving medical attention.

The Monaco Red Cross Maternity Clinic will provide ante-natal care, allow the expectant mother to wait some days, then give birth under medical supervision, and receive post natal care. The Clinic will be run by a network of volunteers coordinated by the Mother-Child Health Department within the Ministry of Health.

Tomorrow we have a field visit to the Clinic in Same District whereby I will meet with midwives and expectant mothers who will benefit from the Clinic when it is opened later this year.