As part of the Australian funded project on access to controlled medicines in Timor-Leste (TL), UNODC delivered a capacity-building training workshop over three days in the city of Dili, on 2-4 April 2024. The training initiative was aimed at nurses and health professionals in Timor-Leste in order to expand capacity regarding the use of controlled medicines for medical purposes, particularly palliative care, while preventing diversion and non-medical use. The three days involved a variety of workshops and activities using case studies and fostering collaboration and cross-sectoral learning among the diverse group of participants.
Participants included representatives from leading palliative care hospitals, palliative care nurses and health professionals, government agencies, National Directorate of Pharmaceuticals members, among others. The sessions were supported by UNODC and WHO-TL representatives, with briefing speeches from the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Timor-Leste and the Vice Ministry of Health. Workshops included highly technical case-study discussions, as well as presentations highlighting the role of controlled medicines as essential for medical use, considerations for rational use of these medicines and the specific gaps and barriers to access in Timor-Leste. The UNODC offered the unique perspective of a global overview, localising gaps in access to controlled medicines and providing reference to the International Narcotics Control Board 2023 data to highlight disparities.
Overall, the training served as an enriching event, fostering engaging discussion and partnerships to promote the use of controlled medicines in palliative care in Timor-Leste. Follow-up activities are essential to drive implementation, facilitate cooperation and sustain collaborative partnerships.
