On September 17, 2026, Mr. Kirati Veruwan, Vice President of the Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (Public Organization) (NEDA), and his delegation attended a working lunch to discuss health cooperation with representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO), led by Dr. Arvind Mathur, and representatives of the Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares (HNGV), led by Dr. Nuno Vital Soares, Executive Director of HNGV. Mr. Atipat Rojanapaibulya, Ambassador in Dili, also attended the meeting.
The discussions were intended to develop and build upon cooperation initiated in May 2026, when the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, and the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), with the cooperation of the Royal Thai Embassy, Dili, conducted a Capacity Assessment of HNGV together with WHO. The initiative focuses on Capacity Building at both the personnel and institutional levels.
The partners also jointly developed an approach for providing technical skills training to physicians and nurses working in the dialysis unit, with the objective of establishing internationally recognized treatment standards and supporting sustainable self-reliance. HNGV expressed an intention to strengthen the capacity of its Kidney Institute and Advanced Diagnostic Center, including technical capabilities, medical equipment, dialysis machines, CT scanners and MRI equipment, as well as personnel development. Details of future cooperation between Thai and Timor-Leste partners will be discussed further by NEDA to assess areas in which support could be provided in line with its principal mission of promoting sustainable development with neighboring countries. The objective is to make a meaningful contribution to health-sector development between Thailand and ASEAN member countries in the region.
