Member of National Parliament (MP) Josefa Alvares Pereira Soares has called on the Ministry of Health to act with discipline when executing this year’s budget so the people can benefit from the increase in the budget, which has risen 9 per cent since 2013. 
MP Soares said the 2014 health budget was $67.2 million in comparison with last year’s budget of $61.2 million.
The Fretilin MP said the MPs voted unanimously for the 2014 health budget as the government was committed to improving people’s health.
“I hope that this budget can be executed properly based on the needs which exist. I hope it isn’t like last year when some directorates purchased some medical equipment but also used the money to pay the taxes,” MP Soares said at National Parliament.
MP Soares asked the Ministry of Health to exercise discipline in relation to the budget after the experiences of last year, when a shortage of medical supplies caused problems and communities complained about the lack of health care.
MP Aurelio Freitas Ribeiro said last year, problems occurred as the budget was small but that this year, the government should be able to assure health service will be provided for all people.
“Now we lay our hopes on you that in the future there will be no more medicine problems or lack of ambulances, poor treatment and no efforts towards disease prevention,” MP Ribeiro said.
Minister for Health Sergio da Costa Lobo took the criticisms on board and said the problems raised had already been addressed in the annual action plan of Ministry of Health.
He said this year the Ministry would fix the management of ambulances and medicine, and provide more medical equipment to strengthen the work of health centres across the country.
“I am very thankful those issues were raised as these were the problems we faced every day and these suggestions have been included in our program to be accomplished in 2014,” Minister Lobo said.
He said the Ministry of health had provided capacity building courses for managers to address the problems.
