Estrela Plus coordinator Ines Sarmento has called on the Timor-Leste government to provide specialist HIV/AIDS training to doctors to assure those affected by the virus have access to treatment. 
He said at present, people afflicted with the disease could not access adequate health treatment as there were no medical staff able to provide treatment or counselling.
He said sufferers also encountered discrimination.
“We urge the government to look into this, especially the rights of the affected people because we see real experiences that affected people lose their rights,” Sarmento said at a meeting of the National Commission to Combat HIV/AIDS, held at Government Palace, Dili.
Having specialists would help patients to better understand their condition and prevent transmission to others.
He also asked the government, particularly the Ministry of Social Solidarity, to support the HIV/AIDS affected who are still alive because their lives were at risk.
National President of the Commission to Combat HIV/AIDS (CNCS), Deputy Prime Minister Fernando Lasama de Araujo, took these opinions into account and called on Ministry of Health to look into the staffing problems with HIV/AIDS treatment.
“I call on the Ministry of Health to prepare specialists and to sign contracts with foreign doctors or any others,” he said.
Health Minister Sergio da Costa Lobo said there were already some medics who were trained to treat HIV/AIDS.
“We will look into specialist medics,” he said.
