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Timor Leste President praises Cuba's support in healthcare

President of Timor Leste José Ramos Horta has lauded Cuba's support to the youngest Southeast Asian nation in healthcare and medical training.

President of Timor Leste José Ramos Horta (Photo:
President of Timor Leste José Ramos Horta (Photo:

Havana (VNA) – President of Timor Leste José Ramos Horta has lauded Cuba's support to the youngest Southeast Asian nation in healthcare and medical training.

Speaking before the National Assembly of Angola on July 9 during his official visit to the African country, Horta said out of 1,300 doctors in Timor Leste, 1,100 were trained by Cuba.

Today, each village in Timor Leste has one doctor and two nurses or midwives, a stark contrast to 2002 when the country gained independence and had less than 20 doctors, he said.

He pointed to remarkable progress Timor Leste has made over the past 22 years. Electrification now covers nearly 98% of the territory, a significant leap from the early days of independence when electricity was sporadically available only in the capital. Furthermore, the average life expectancy has risen from under 60 years to over 70 years./.

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