Timor-Leste was recognized for major public health achievements as the World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region celebrated progress by Member States in disease elimination, maternal, newborn and child health, immunization, and the prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases.
The awards were presented by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to Ministers of Health and Heads of Delegation during the Seventy-ninth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia in Dili. dr Élia A. A. dos Reis Amaral, Minister of Health of Timor-Leste, received the award recognizing the country’s elimination of trachoma as a public health problem.
WHO validated Timor-Leste as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem on 3 September 2026. Trachoma is the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, and Timor-Leste was the last country in WHO’s South-East Asia Region with suspected endemic trachoma. With this validation, trachoma has now been eliminated as a public health problem throughout the Region.
“I congratulate Timor-Leste on this important achievement. By combining sound planning, careful field investigation and modern surveillance, the country has shown how science and strong health systems can protect people from preventable blindness,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
“Timor-Leste’s elimination of trachoma as a public health problem, officially validated by WHO, is a source of immense national pride. This achievement was made possible by sustained national commitment and the collective efforts of our health workers, communities and partners, to whom we extend our deepest gratitude,” said dr Amaral.
Dr Arvind Mathur, WHO Representative to Timor-Leste, said the achievement reflected strong national leadership, the dedication of health workers, sustained community engagement, high-quality integrated surveillance and sustained public health action.
Timor-Leste was also recognized for progress in preventing and managing noncommunicable diseases. More than 86 900 people with hypertension and diabetes have been placed on protocol-based management, exceeding the national target of 50 000. The achievement advances implementation of the SEAHEARTS milestones through strong primary health care, community engagement and multisectoral collaboration.
Timor-Leste was further recognized, alongside Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand, for sustaining the elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus for a decade.
Other major disease elimination milestones were also celebrated during the Regional Committee. Bhutan was recognized for eliminating dog-mediated human rabies as a public health problem, while Thailand marked the verification of rubella elimination, becoming the seventh country in the Region to achieve this milestone.
Together, these achievements reflect lives saved, communities protected and sustained public health progress across the WHO South-East Asia Region. WHO congratulated Member States and commended the leadership, strong health systems, surveillance, quality services, community engagement and collaboration that have helped achieve and sustain these gains.