Annual Progress Report: Timor-Leste Activity under the USAID Health Systems Sustainability Activity

The project, led by Abt Associates, has a budget of $209 million and is implemented in partnership with several organizations, including Training Resources Group, Health Information System Programme, Save the Children, and Banyan Global. The project's objective is to strengthen health sector governance, improve health workforce management, enhance healthy behaviors, and increase civic engagement and advocacy for health system strengthening. To achieve these objectives, the project has identified several key interventions, including capacity development action plans, political economy analyses, data analysis capacity assessments, and landscape analyses of health financing in Timor-Leste. The project's work plan for FY21 was approved in December 2020, and the team submitted a draft work plan for FY22 in August 2021. The project has made significant progress in delivering its planned activities, including the development of terms of reference for a political economy analysis, data analysis capacity assessment, and capacity development action plan. One of the key challenges facing the government of Timor-Leste is its limited ability to govern, finance, and deliver quality, affordable, and essential health services effectively, transparently, and sustainably. The project aims to address this challenge by supporting the government in developing a more resilient and self-reliant health system that is well-governed, accountable, efficient, effective, and responsive to public needs in both crisis and non-crisis contexts. The project's interventions are designed to strengthen health sector governance, improve health workforce management, enhance healthy behaviors, and increase civic engagement and advocacy for health system strengthening. The project's consortium partners are working together to achieve these objectives, and the project has made significant progress in delivering its planned activities. The project's progress is being tracked through a performance indicator tracking table, which monitors the project's progress against its objectives and indicators. The project's annual progress report provides an overview of the project's progress and achievements during the reporting period. The project's sustainability and local capacity development are critical components of its success. The project is working to build the capacity of local institutions, including the government, civil society organizations, and community health workers, to effectively plan, manage, and oversee health system functions. The project is also working to increase the awareness of citizens' rights to health services among civil society organizations and community health workers. The project's GESI progress is also an important aspect of its work. The project is working to promote gender equality and social inclusion in the health sector, and to increase the participation of women and marginalized groups in health decision-making processes. Overall, the Local Health System Sustainability Project Timor-Leste Activity is making significant progress in supporting the government of Timor-Leste in building a more resilient and self-reliant health system. The project's interventions are designed to strengthen health sector governance, improve health workforce management, enhance healthy behaviors, and increase civic engagement and advocacy for health system strengthening.