The response to COVID-19 in Timor-Leste: lessons learnt.

The response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Timor-Leste offers lessons that may be useful for incorporating into future responses to infectious disease outbreaks in similar resource-limited settings. In this paper, we identify nine key areas for learning from Timor-Leste's experience of the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) the importance of prior preparation for health emergencies, (2) the establishment of effective leadership and governance structures, (3) the protective impact of early border restrictions, (4) the rapid expansion of diagnostic laboratory capacity, (5) the impact of effective health communications in supporting the vaccine roll-out, (6) the opportunity to build capacity for clinical care, (7) the use of public health interventions that were found to have limited public health impact, (8) the broader effects of the pandemic and the public health response and (9) translation of lessons from COVID-19 to other public health priorities.

Country learning on maintaining quality essential health services during COVID-19 in Timor-Leste: a qualitative analysis.

Objective: This case study examines the enabling factors, strengths, challenges and lessons learnt from Timor-Leste (TLS) as it sought to maintain quality essential health services (EHS) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design: A qualitative case study triangulated information from 22 documents, 44 key informant interviews and 6 focus group discussions. The framework method was used to thematically examine the factors impacting quality EHS in TLS.

Attitudes towards HIV testing via home-sampling kits ordered online (RUClear pilots 2011-12).

Background: The burden of disease relating to undiagnosed HIV infection is significant in the UK. BHIVA (British HIV Association) recommends population screening in high prevalence areas, expanding outside traditional antenatal/GUM settings.

Methods: RUClear 2011-12 piloted expanding HIV testing outside traditional settings using home-sampling kits (dry-blood-spot testing) ordered online.

Developing a European urban health indicator system: results of EURO-URHIS 1.

More than half of the world's population now live in cities, including over 70% in Europe. Cities bring opportunities but can be unhealthy places to live. The poorest urban dwellers live in the worst environments and are at the greatest risk of poor health outcomes.