Medical Aid East Timor (MAET) is an almost twenty year old project which raises money, acts as a clearinghouse for volunteering, and an information source. MAET works exclusively for East Timor’s flagship clinic, the Bairo Pite Clinic and its associated projects. The Bairo Pite Clinic (BPC), is located in Dili, East Timor/ Timor Lorosae. The Bairo Pite Clinic is a primary care clinic, operating in one of the ten poorest countries of the world and the poorest country in Asia.

East Timor, or Timor Lorosae (translated as “Timor of the Rising Sun”) Itis one of the world’s newest countries. Timor Leste has come through much turbulence and despair in the past and now is slowly developing its own identity. 

On this beautiful half island nation of dry tropical forests and high mountains, on a dusty road in the capital city of Dili, a small clinic operates to serve some of the poorest and neediest people in the world. Doctors, medical students, nurses, midwives, nutritionists, lab staff, pharmacists, paramedics, dentists, HIV Counselors, administrative staff, laundry room workers, clinic facility staff, kitchen staff, visiting local volunteers and other support members in consort with Dr Dan Murphy attend daily to hundreds of patients and critical cases.  The number of clinic visits on any given day may be as high as 200-300, but is probably even higher. Timorese medical staff and doctors work with volunteers to see, diagnose and treat patients. The clinic’s small but growing inpatient wards are visited twice daily and no one leaves unseen by the end of a day. 

Dr Murphy and his team of national and international doctors are still in the office frequently into the evening, on call 24 hours, available by cell phone and often returning to check on patients with emergency or unresolved details. For many years now the BPC staff have been recognized by many Timorese as providing no fee, trusted and reliable healthcare on request, often in local language and/or dialect.

Patients arrive at the clinic with diseases we in the west may be only vaguely aware of but are a regular feature at BPC. Diseases like  malaria, variants of dengue fever and tuberculosis (TB) are common and drug resistant forms of those diseases add additional problems and challenges. The clinic is reported to care for a high percentage of all the nations people infected with TB. 

Infant health problems include opportunistic waterborne parasites, complications from a lack of vitamins, minerals or adequate diet. If not treated Diarrhea can lead to malnutrition, dehydration and death.

A new addition of an emergency room increases the clinic’s ability to respond to immediate needs. Recent and continuous improvements to the maternity clinic has allowed for more specialized prenatal and postnatal care. Both mothers and infants will benefit from the addition. The BPC continues to expand its commitment to women’s health and pre and post natal care.

Surely we can send some relief; the Bairo Pite Clinic desperately needs your help to continue providing care to some of the most impoverished and underserved people in Asia and the world. All checks can be made payable to: Medical Aid East Timor Clinic Fund

All donations may be sent U.S. Mail to:

M.A.E.T.  Medical Aid East Timor, c/o Stokes,  P.O. Box 3382, Madison, Wisconsin  53704-0382

ALL CHECKS SHOULD BE MARKED:

MEDICAL AID EAST TIMOR BAIRO PITE CLINIC FUND

• Do you have the monetary resources to make a contribution to the Bairo Pite Clinic?
• Do you have skills to contribute as a volunteer at the clinic?
• Do you have material resources or time to volunteer?
• Can you motivate groups or others to make a contribution or plan a volunteer drive to benefit this impoverished island people?
• Can you organize an event or campaign to raise funds, increase awareness and promote volunteerism at the clinic?
• Can you help this internationally supported clinic project?

Medical Aid East Timor is gratified that in almost 16 years so much has slowly changed on the island and at the clinic as they grow together. This change is due in no small way to all of the many volunteers, advocates and monetary contributions and support which Bairo Pite relies on from interested people worldwide. MAET is only one a small fundraiser of many worldwide, please consider making a contribution to one of them.

 Will you join hundreds of others from around the world in support of the Bairo Pite Clinic and make a commitment against poverty in one of the world’s poorest countries?

No matter if you have a couple of hours, a couple of dollars or a couple of boxes of material aid, MAET maximizes your support in benefiting only the projects and mission of the Bairo Pite Clinic in East Timor/Timor Lorosae.

The Bairo Pite Clinic is always challenged to keep and maintain basic services at the clinic. The reality, is that we need far more to continue giving and to improve the quality of care at BPC, not to mention training for the next generation of Timorese health professionals. The 100 paid Timorese medical staff are key to the future of the clinic and the income helps local families and community.

Only if and when monetary resources exceed expenditures can improvements be tackled. The Bairo Pite Clinic staff, with support from the Government’s Ministerio De SAUDE, have worked hard to build and try to keep the foundation for a healthcare service which improves the lives and health of the poor, elderly, or most vulnerable of these impoverished people. The government and the Health Ministry made tough decisions, sometimes controversial, which today benefit the health needs of rural Timorese. Even with seemingly insurmountable odds, much has been achieved over 16 years. More doctors than ever before operate on the island, the number of clinics operating is increasing and the opportunity to see a physician is not as difficult as before. Recently Cuban trained Timorese doctors dot the countryside, albeit in somewhat isolated locales, with few resources. Finally, an impressive central pharmacy was set up as a more reliable source for basic medical supply needs of the islands medical community.

Unchecked health problems still remain and to this day BPC is still providing much needed safety and health services on request regardless of a patient’s capacity to pay, as it has since the 1999 referendum on East Timorese Independence.

MAET is particularly proud of the Timorese medical staff who day by day increase their knowledge and apply it to serving the sick, the injured, the infirm and those in failing health. BPC staff have a commitment to these people seeking healing, understanding and respect for their plight. We now have a better trained Timorese staff, a wider range of available services and a tradition of service to the poor, sick and needy of this island